Pieces of Anakin
by Mrs. A Skywalker
Summary: Anakin has suffered a loss that has left him devastated. He struggles through his guilt and grief to route out the mysterious and illusive cause. PURE angst. Ending inspired by the film INCEPTION. RRR! Read, Relish, Review
1. One

Obi-Wan gazed pensively across the cityscape of Coruscant at the colors of the setting sun splashed against the darkening sky. He stood motionlessly in the vast corridor of the Jedi temple with his hands clasped in his sleeves and considered with great dejection how much has changed in the past year. The scenery which usually defused all his stress and concerns, now only accentuated the enduring pain of watching his dearest friend lament. He remembered the old adage that dictates time heals all wounds, and understood that just as the sun must retreat behind the horizon, so must all things come to an end; that though the mesmerizing colors remain against the sky long after the sun is gone, eventually they too must disappear. Obi-Wan wished it were so for the agony his dear friend endured. Sadly, after so many months, there was no sign of hope. Time, it seemed, would never be enough.

Two months ago, it had come as a shock to all members of the council when Anakin finally re-emerged after months of solitude. He had appeared lessened and yet fierce, like a once powerful entity now with a broken spirit. Obi-Wan remembered straightening in his seat when Anakin passed through the chamber doors, knowing what he was there to do. There was no sign of difficulty or regret when Anakin spoke. He appeared numb and vacant as if he were mindlessly carrying out orders for a higher power. Obi-Wan remembered how Masters Yoda and Windu listened with heavy hearts and accepted his resignation on the condition he would return as soon as he was able. There was a sense of finality permeating the air when Anakin nodded and turned in his lightsaber. His calling was to be a Jedi Knight and yet it was something that paled against a new desire that was impossible to achieve but strong enough to hold sway. Anakin could no longer serve the Order or the Republic as he once did. It was a sad but an expected move considering his continued suffering.

Obi-Wan took a deep breath and sighed as he remembered when Anakin first told his plan to resign. He was caught off guard. The decision seemed drastic and rash. Anakin wanted to devote his all time and energy to investigating the tragedy that appeared to be systematically dismantling him. In an effort to reason with him, he reminded him that his emotions would impact his judgment and his findings negatively. Obi-Wan reminded him that Padme would never want this for him and the children wouldn't want their father to go on like this. He reminded him the Chancellor had appointed the best detectives in the Coruscant Security Force to make a thorough determination while the Jedi were spread too thin to focus on the matter. But it just irritated him more. Anakin snorted and said Padme would want him to know why this happened and the children would understand. Realizing his determination now matched the depth of pain in his friend's eyes, Obi-Wan did not press and instead resigned to assist in any way.

"Of great value and weight, are your thoughts, Master Kenobi." A familiar old voice carried comfort in its tone.

Obi-Wan turned his head towards the voice and met the wise brown eyes of Master Yoda. He was seated in his hoverchair, floating high enough to be eye level with him. "I couldn't help thinking of him today."

"I know." The diminutive Jedi answered, nodding his head. "Deny it, I can't, that I too think of him…from time to time." Yoda looked through the window at the view of Coruscant and continued, "Confident I am though, of his recovery and his return."

"Master, he has been like this for nearly a year. You don't really believe that, do you?"

"I do."

"I'm not certain of that. He has lost a lot, Master. His children are gone. Padme is…gone. And he's resigned from the Order. He has nothing left but this investigation that has now become a method of torture."

Yoda sadly cast his eyes downward as his ears slightly drooped. "Consumes him this great pain does. For him, nothing else there is." He looked back at Obi-Wan, "Nothing, but the desire to find reason where there is such pain."

"I can't help feeling there must be something I can do to help him through this."

"Nothing more can you do." Yoda turned to continue along the corridor. "Advise him, you can. Be there for him, you can. But find his own way, he must. And find it, he will."

_At first, there was nothing but darkness. A darkness that was unforgiving and withholding. It was a darkness that was infinite and cold. And then an ambiguous form appeared before him and slowly gained resolution until the image became distinct. As soon as her face became clear, he felt as if he was home again after months at war. To feel the smoothness of her skin under his fingertips, to smell Nubian flowers in her hair, to hear the sound of her joy was like nothing else in life. She smiled at him and called his name. _

_Ani_

_In an instant, she was wrapped in his arms and his nose was penetrated by the scent Nubian flowers. She moved her hands gently up and down his back; a gesture that she often used to convey that things would be okay. He kissed her as if he would never see her again. Unbidden, the tears began to pour down his cheeks. He couldn't help mixing expressions of love and apology together. There was much to apologize for. There was much of his love that needed to be expressed. However, in this place that they met, time was not forgiving and didn't allow for much more than muttered words, and a passionate kiss. They both knew this. Deep pools of watery brown eyes looked up into his. She shook her head slowly and spoke painful words just below a whisper…_

_Not yet_

_He knew what it meant, but how he wished he could remain there with her. She shrank from him, sadly diminishing in the quiet dark that surrounded them. And slowly the pain in his chest returned…the pain of a reality he could not escape. There was still much he had to do… _

Anakin jerked himself out of his sleep. He looked around and discovered all of Coruscant was around him. He was sitting in an easy chair that he had hauled out to the middle of the docking pad on the verandah. He looked down and saw the gleam of the moonlight on a half empty liquor bottle that lay in his lap. He leaned forward, and rested his head in his hands and silently beckoned the force for mercy.

Every time he slept, he would dream of her. He would be reunited with Padme briefly and then pulled away from her by cruel existence. Eventually, he mused, he would permanently ease his pain and free himself of the dread of waking up. For now all he had was a temporary pain reliever, which was evident in the bottles that littered the verandah.

Anakin raised his head and stood up, knocking aside an empty liquor bottle lying faithfully beside his feet. He was shirtless, barefoot and his tawny hair disheveled. He hadn't shaved in a few days and proof of that was apparent in the shadow appearing on his face. The state of the tortured hero was laid bare before the eyes of Coruscant…And Anakin couldn't care less. His lean muscular body didn't show any signs of neglect, and rather reflected a body that was able and a spirit that was impotent in the midst of grief. Anakin moved to the very edge of the platform. He curled his toes to grip the edge and looked down at the city below…and that feeling emerged again. It would be so easy, too easy to end the misery, to finally force the nightly reunions into one permanent session of lovemaking and eternal bliss. He wanted so badly to be free of feeling lost and hollow. He could be with her again and never have to worry about being parted. There would be no anger or misery, no hurt or fear. But his mind's eye saw the faces of Luke and Leia and the pain that would be passed on to them if he satisfied this feeling. He grimaced.

The former Jedi turned from the edge and slowly walked inside. The apartment was now a home of continuous torture and trauma. Padme was in every inch of it. He would walk into the sitting area and see her there on the couch smiling up at him. He would go into her office and see her behind her desk working. He'd see her on the balcony, brushing her hair, swollen with their children. She was there on the steps to the bedroom, beckoning him with a curling finger and a mischievous gleam in her eye. After she died, he refused to sleep in the bedroom. He could never find the strength to ascend the steps leading to the bedroom. It was the last place they were together. The memories are more intense there, and so the pain. Anakin would close his eyes against the shimmering and fading images in an attempt to maintain his sanity, but the sound of her laughter and the sound of her voice would infiltrate his defenses. The walls would betray him and the sounds from the past would echo like ripples in water. Every decibel of it was like a pin prick to his heart. The desire to touch her again would reawaken and the inability to satisfy it brought the pain of her absence. He endured this repeated agony because he blamed himself for her death. He walked through the halls of that apartment as a living lamentation of Padme Amidala Skywalker. Several times a day their last encounter would replay in his mind and the only way to ease the pain was to drown in the intoxicating elixirs he kept behind the bar.

Weeks after Padme's death, Ruwee and Jobal offered their help with the children. Luke and Leia were only four years old and Anakin was too distraught to care for them properly. Though he loved them more than life, he felt they deserved better and decided it would be best if they remained in the care of their grandparents. Against their better judgment, Anakin would not give up the apartment nor would he join the children on Naboo. Instead, he resigned to keep in touch when he could.

Anakin did not go to the funeral. Nor did he attend the memorial service or her wake. It was too painful and too public. No. He waited until the crowd and sensationalism died down. He didn't bother going to her grave site. As far as he was concerned, she wasn't really there anyway. There was no body to bury. On a rainy night months after her death, he visited the statue erected in her honor in the Theed palace gardens. He spent hours there, staring into her likeness, wishing he could be with her once more, crying and begging her to forgive him. Before leaving, he swore a blood oath that he would be devoted to finding out the truth behind her death. Anakin could not and would not accept the Security Force detectives' "freak accident" ruling. He decided to throw himself into the investigation because he owed her that much; electing to remain frozen in time, self-confined in a prison of grief, allowing it to dismantle him piece by piece.


	2. Two

Glad to know you guys liked the story. I decided to continue since my muse is working OT. I had this chapter ready to go. I was going to wait another week before I posted it but I couldn't resist. I hope you guys like it. And I love the reviews.

Two

'_Ani? Where am I?…Ani?'_

_A voice soft, nervous and fearful echoed his name._

_A dark blue haze veiled his sight. The beeps and the hum of machines infiltrated his auditory senses. A throbbing ache began to intensify as the haze began to clear. _

'_Anakin?' The voice grew deeper as it repeated his name, taking on the depth of a man. His name echoed again gaining more clarity, until its owner was recognizable._

'_Anakin?'_

_His eyelids slowly rose unveiling his blurry surroundings. His head throbbed relentlessly and his body ached as if he were trampled under the hooves of stampeding shaaks. He blinked several times to clear his vision and focused on the figure standing by his bedside._

_Obi-wan looked upon Anakin with gray eyes filled with overwhelming sorrow. The amount of grief saturating their connection in the force was staggering. He never experienced the stoic and normally reserved Jedi like this. He was instantly reminded of the day he told him Qui-gon was killed. Still a little dazed, he looked around the room realizing he was in a medical facility and lying in a bed. Before he could consider why his head hurt so much, he remembered what happened and that his wife needed him. His eyes widened._

"_Padme!" Anakin immediately sat up. "Where is she? There was an accident. Obi-wan, is she alright?" The words came out faster than he intended._

_Anakin didn't care that he was covered in soot, or that his clothes had scorch marks. He didn't care about his minor injuries. It didn't matter that only hours ago, he was an inch away from certain death, lying on the burning landing dock. All that mattered was Padme's survival. _

_He searched Obi-wan's face for some indication. The older Jedi appeared uncharacteristically at a loss for words. Obi-wan lowered his gaze momentarily as if searching the floor for the right words. He was skilled at finding the appropriate words in most delicate situations. He could always negotiate his way through obstacles. However this time, there were no words he could take comfort in…the message would remain the same regardless. There would be no solace in them for Anakin. Obi-wan took a deep breath and looked at him with tears in his eyes. _

_Anakin turned his legs out the bed. "Where is she, Obi-wan? Where is my wife?" Anakin asked, almost begging, refusing to realize that Obi-wan's rare inability and emotional state stemmed from the tragic news he had to deliver._

_Before he could answer, something in Obi-wan's hand caught Anakin's eye. It was small, dark and insignificant, but it drew his attention none the less. Two short blackened thin metal chains extended from whatever he had enclosed his hand. Anakin warily slid off the side of the bed, reached out and slowly pulled the two chains from Obi-wan's hand, silently begging the force that it wasn't what he thought it was. The object revealed itself to be familiar to him. He held it up at eye level and looked at it in disbelief. _

_The two chains were actually two sides of one long chain, burnt and the ends melted off. The wooden pendant was blackened by fire on the back. The front was partially burned and bore the familiar markings carved in it over 15 years ago. The scent of fumes and flames lingered on it. It was made of Jappor; a gift given from a young slave boy, received by an angelic beauty. She wore it everywhere she went and never took it off. It confirmed that he loved her, that she loved him…and that she was now gone._

_Tears welled in Anakin eyes immediately as undeniable reality began to take hold. Agape, he looked at Obi-wan for an explanation, a reason to believe he's come to a wrong conclusion. There was none. Obi-wan slowly shook his head and said, "I'm so sorry, Anakin." It was the first time he ever heard Obi-wan's voice crack._

_Anakin's face instantly twisted into a painful grimace, as anger, horror and unimaginable pain fully assaulted him. His chin trembled and he gnashed his teeth against the agony of it. His breathing became uneven as he stretched out his feelings in to the vast plains of the force, desperately seeking her signature, only to be refuted. His heart couldn't register that she was suddenly not there anymore, though his mind knew it. Hot tears flowed down his cheeks, as he sank to his knees and finally released a long guttural moan as if mortally wounded. He shook his head in denial as his chest heaved up and down and he let out a loud vociferous cry imbued with anger and torment. The walls of the entire facility shook as if Coruscant's tectonic plates were violently disturbed. Permaglass windows shattered and the rumbling was deafening. He sobbed inconsolably as droids and machines were crushed against the enormous weight of Anakin's grief. _

_And in his grief, and on his knees, Anakin begged the force to prove Obi-wan wrong; that she was safe and unscathed; that she was in the next room or on her way down corridors to find him. But it would not be so. She was gone; taken from him and it was more than Anakin could bear. It was as if his soul was suddenly torn in two and he was left to cope with raw trauma. _

For several moments, Obi-wan surveyed the half dozen empty liquor bottles speckled about the verandah. It was heart wrenching to see signs of Anakin's debilitating grief so soon into his arrival. He raised his head, shifting his concerns to the interior. The two bronzium moon goddess statues flanking the opening greeted him and demonstrated Padme's elegant taste in art and mythology. It was always strange for him to pass between these statues in her absence. Cloudy skies permitted low light and offered only glimpses of the state of the apartment. The unhindered curtains flanking the threshold billowed in the cool breeze that hinted at rainfall. Obi-wan pushed back the sense of dread that was slowly taking hold and entered the domain.

Since Anakin had chosen social exile, opting to be seen when he rarely desired, Obi-wan felt it was his duty as his closest friend to keep a watch over him. He knew that Anakin wished to be alone, and understood that this desire couldn't be honored. In those cerulean eyes, he saw what he feared most for Anakin. Despair. He knew what despair could lead to when trapped in grief. He also knew what kept despair at bay…Luke and Leia. Anakin wouldn't purposely cause his children to repeat the pain of losing a parent. And so, Obi-wan made an effort every week to visit or contact Anakin in some way and make sure despair didn't completely consume him and cause his perspective to change.

War has made the visits difficult. He hadn't seen him in two months, back when he resigned from the order. He had hoped that Anakin's emotional state did not deteriorate, but it seems as he passed through the threshold and into the sunken sitting area, his hope had been denied.

The apartment Anakin shared with the late senator was large and luxurious. High vaulted ceilings, the muted color scheme and the marble flooring echoed Padme's sense of style. He passed between the couches, eyeing two more empty bottles on the side tables. These were the only signs of Anakin's presence. He knew Anakin didn't require much and was content confining himself to a smaller portion of the available space. He called out Anakin's name, and received no answer.

He walked up the two steps and listened for a moment. Obi-wan knew Anakin was there. Sensing his presence, he turned to the left and walked along the corridor. He continued on until he saw a door left ajar, pushed it open and stepped inside.

In the rear of the partially lit room was a wooden desk and leather chair. A large imported rug covered the expanse of the room. On the walls were a few paintings and various pieces of art. There was a large window behind the desk that was veiled by dark curtains, magnifying the dark of the room. Along one wall on the right were elaborately carved recessed book shelves filled from left to right of books that Padme enjoyed for leisure and required for business. The room echoed the decorative style of the sitting area on the verandah. Closer to the door on the left were two chairs, a long leather couch and a coffee table between them.

Obi-wan's eyes traveled about the partly lit room until he settled on the disorganized mass on the coffee table. There was a small lamp lingering dangerously on the edge of the table and provided just enough light. There were a few datapads of varying sizes with several datachips strewn about. A comlink and a holotransmission module as well as a holoviewer were also visible. There was no mistake that Anakin had his work cut out for him. It appeared to be at least three months worth of preliminary work including weeding out the inconsequential from the substantial.

Obi-wan shifted his gaze toward the large shadowy figure on the left seated on the couch. The only thing in the scope of light emanating from the lamp on the table was the brown pants he was wearing and his gloved hand. He was leaning forward, balancing the right forearm on one thigh and resting his left elbow on the other. Apparently he was holding something in his hand.

Obi-wan moved further into the room. "Hello, Anakin."

The shadow of Anakin's head shifted slightly in his direction. An eerily calm voice greeted him, "Obi-wan. It's been awhile."

"War tends to make regularity difficult." The older Jedi took a seat in the chair opposite the younger former Jedi. Obi-wan could feel the emotions Anakin felt when he learned of Padme's death still existed to a lesser more controllable degree. It was clear he had moved past the initial stage and accepted her abrupt departure. However his choice of coping methods remained nearby, apparent in the half empty fifth of Namana next to the lamp. With the table and the light between them, he could see just enough of Anakin's face to make out his eyes and the stubble of hair growing on his cheeks and chin.

Smirking, Obi-wan couldn't resist a jab. "And you gave me a hard time about my beard."

It was an attempt to inspire a lighter mood in Anakin; to see if there was any sign of him coming back to himself.

The corners of Anakin's mouth turned up briefly before gradually sinking to their expressionless state. Dismissively, Anakin shrugged his brow and responded flatly, "It'll be gone when I get around to it."

Obi-wan heard the clinking of ice in a glass. His eyes shifted to Anakin's left hand and realized he was holding drink. Not wanting to address the bantha in the room, he kept it light. "It's really quiet around here. Where is Threepio?"

"Over there." He looked pointedly toward the corner. "R2 is in the den recharging."

Obi-wan looked over his shoulder and saw the deactivated droid sitting in another chair in the corner. Given the limp position the droid was in, it appeared as if the droid didn't self shut down. It would seem that even Anakin had a tolerance level for that droid.

"Do you want something?" Anakin's voice contradicted the emotions kept at bay by the elixir in his glass.

Obi-wan turned back to Anakin. It was unclear what he was referring to. For a few seconds, Obi-wan wondered if Anakin was hinting at a desire to be left alone. Before he could ask for clarification, Anakin gave it as if understanding the confusion.

"I can get you something from the kitchen."

"No, thank you. I'm fine. How are the children?" Obi-wan asked in an attempt to gauge Anakin's involvement with Luke and Leia; to know if he had given in to despair. It was something he did every time he spoke with him.

His gloved fingers twitched slightly and he slowly leaned back in the couch. His face was no longer visible. He allowed a few seconds to pass before answering.

"They're fine." He said taking the sip from this drink. Obi-wan could sense that Anakin knew what he was doing and why. He detected a shift in his mood. Anakin was annoyed by the question. "Luke and Leia are excited about resuming their training."

Obi-wan smiled, realizing there has been some progress in his absence. Despair was losing the battle for Anakin. "They were well missed. I hope they were practicing during their time off."

"Of course." Anakin said stretching his long arm along the back of the couch. "Jobal and Ruwee tell me they practice daily."

The smile disappeared from Obi-wan's face as he was reminded of the error in presumptions. It was clear that there was no progress. Anakin was still dangerously lingering on the edge of despair. He sighed and realized the time for small talk was over.

"Master Yoda is worried."

"Of course he is," The ice cubes in his glass clinked again as he swallowed another sip. "Session is about to resume and they will be back soon. They are Skywalkers after all. The time for peace is over."

Again, it was unclear whether Anakin was talking about his children's knack for stirring up trouble, or the state of his life at this point.

"No, Anakin." Obi-Wan shook his head, "He is worried about you. We all are. You can't continue like th—"

"How goes the war?" It was clear that Anakin didn't want to talk about his grief. It was palpable in the way his gaze bore into Obi-wan. Though it couldn't be seen in the dark space he sat in, Obi-wan certainly felt it.

Obi-wan passed a contemplative hand over his beard and conceded to Anakin's direction and responded. "It's as can be expected. There are victories on both sides. The Jedi have been busy trying to keep the separatists from overtaking the more vulnerable systems." He focused his attention to the data scattered about the table between them. "I see you've been busy. It looks like you have a lot of work ahead of you."

"I spent the last month getting the CSF to release copies of their documented eyewitness statements, photographs and various other reports to me. As a matter of fact, I just received the most important piece today." He took another sip of his drink.

Intrigued, Obi-wan raised his brow. "Really? And what is that?"

"A compilation of all the footage, taken from every holorecorder that had a shot of it", he answered.

Obi-wan's lips parted as he straightened in his seat. "Actual footage?" He swallowed looking down at the datachips. He immediately spotted a large datachip among the smaller ones.

"You are not going to watch this yourself, are you?"

Anakin snorted, "Who else is going to?"

"Anakin, this isn't a good idea. This is only going to make it worse?"

"Really? How so, Obi-wan? Padme can't get any deader than she already is."

"You are torturing yourself. You cannot do this investigation."

"We've been through this already!" Frowning, Anakin's hand appeared in the light and slammed the drink down on the table, spilling some its contents. "It was NOT a freak accident! Those fools at the CSF don't have the capacity to see what's really going on here. Their silly investigation took months to complete and in the end, they came up with garbage! This wasn't some random accident. She was murdered, Obi-wan! MURDERED! And the ones responsible are still out there. There is more to this than anyone thinks. I can feel it!"

Realizing Anakin is driven by more than grief, he gave him the benefit of the doubt. "That may be the case, but doing this yourself isn't going to do you any good."

His chest heaved up and down, as he calmed himself. His voice shook. "I don't care. I have to find out what happened. I need to know." There was agony laced in his voice; sorrow embedded in it. His hand reappeared in the light and reclaimed the drink, pulling into the dark.

Obi-wan reached over to the lamp and adjusted it to allow more light in the room.

He could see the pain was still evident on his friend's face. He was wearing a light brown tunic that appeared to have been thrown on. Through the opening in Anakin's tunic, he could see the object that had once belonged to Padme. The burnt and partially melted necklace that he'd given Anakin in the hospital was now cleaned and repaired, and found a new home around Anakin's neck. The pendant was cleaned up, but still bore the signs of it being in a fire. He looked up at Anakin and realized that he was no longer looking at him, but rather past him. He looked over his left shoulder and saw a holo of Padme sitting on one of the carved book shelves. She wore a white lace gown that accentuated her curves, and a matching veil worn on her head. Obi-wan surmised that it must have been taken on their wedding day. He was instantly reminded of how truly beautiful she was.

"Anakin, you are punishing yourself." He said turning back to him. "You are too close to this investigation. It will impact your judgment and your findings. I told you this before."

Ignoring him, Anakin stood up and walked over to the holo.

Obi-wan continued, turning as he watched Anakin. "If you do this alone, you will sink further into this...depression. I know you are determined to get to the bottom of what happened to her, but you are going to need help. You cannot go this alone."

"And who is going to help me?" Without turning, he finished the last of his drink and replaced the glass on the shelf.

There was no way Anakin could be talked out of this and stopping him would be a mistake. He realized that if this was going to happen, Anakin couldn't be alone. "I will."

Anakin looked at him over his shoulder and narrowed his eyes. "You can't. The war, remember? You said so yourself. It's kept the Jedi busy."

"I have only returned a few days ago. I have completed my tour and it will likely be another few months before I receive an assignment."

"I-I can't let you help me, Obi-wan." Anakin turned back to the holo. "You are needed in this war. That's more important."

"You have no choice in the matter. I am doing this with you and I'll expect you to keep me posted if anything develops."

Anakin nodded and allowed a long silence before speaking. He voice was soft, engraved with much sorrow. "She was everything to me, Obi-Wan."

Obi-wan lowered his gaze. "I know, Anakin."

"It's so ironic. We loved each intensely and yet the last words we said to each other were hurtful and angry. We caused each other such pain…arguing over nonsense. I can barely remember why I let it go so far." He raised a gloved finger and stroked Padme's cheek in the holo. He watched his finger penetrate the image and cause a prism of colors to surround the circumference of his digit. "I didn't go after her right away…." His voice lowered barely above a whisper. "I should've… If only I had gotten there …"

"Anakin, stop. It's not your fault. You cannot keep punishing yourself."

"What else can I do?" Anakin turned around and faced his old friend. He couldn't help the agonized countenance, the unspent tears watering eyes that burned with intense misery. "I am consumed by this feeling that it just doesn't add up. You want me to stop punishing myself? Tell me how to do that knowing that I could have saved her, that I failed again. I lost my mother because I failed, and now…Padme. What do you expect me to do?"

"I expect you to stop blaming yourself." Obi wan stood up. "You have to let someone help you through this, Anakin."

"Help me?" He chuckled mirthlessly. "There is no help for me. There's no escape from this."

"It's no surprise that Padme's death has affected you profoundly, but you need to move on. Keeping yourself in constant grief is torture. Luke and Leia need their father."

"Don't you understand? She's not in a coffin, buried in the ground. There was no funeral pyre for her. There was nothing to recover from the scene. She was one of three, that had no remains. All I have left of her is here." Anakin looked around the room and said, "Padme is here, even in the walls." Anakin looked down dolefully, "This is where I belong, Obi-Wan. I don't want to risk losing anyone else that I love. Luke and Leia will not die because of me. That's why they are better off without me." He turned back to Padme's holo.

Obi-wan allowed a long pause before he spoke. He didn't know that Anakin held himself as responsible as whoever he thought killed Padme. At this point, he realized that it would be a long time before Anakin could move on. Obi-wan hoped more than anything that master Yoda was right and that Anakin would find his way through it.

"Anakin, we carry those we love and lost in our hearts. They are not in the things —"

"Spare me the words of inspiration, Obi-Wan. I will find no solace in them nor will I find closure. I am dealing with her death the best way I can."

"Is that why you drink?"

Anakin didn't expect that question. He looked over at the empty glass on the shelf and then cast his gaze to the floor. "I can't get it out of my head."

"What?"

Anakin looked at Obi-Wan miserably. "The look on her face just before she boarded the ship."

"Anakin—"

"I never had a chance to tell her how much she meant to me. That I didn't mean the things I said." He looked back up at him. "I didn't get to say I was sorry."

Obi-wan listened intently. This was the first time Anakin admitted the source of his grief and guilt. He realized that this was something Anakin never told anyone. It was the first step in the right direction.

"I drink to keep from going insane and to stop the pain long enough to sleep. And when I sleep, I am with her again." He turned back to the holo. "It seems so real when I am with her. I end up thinking the dream is reality and that reality is the nightmare. Then I wake up…and it starts all over again."

It was the first time Obi-wan could see how truly dismantled Anakin had been. Padme died nearly a year ago and still Anakin appeared as if she died only weeks ago. All defenses were gone and he could be seen as he was, a tortured shadow of his former self. "Anakin, Padme wouldn't want to see you like this."

Anakin didn't turn around. With another mirthless chuckle, he responded sarcastically. "Well, she isn't here to see me. Is she?"

"Do you think you will find her at the bottom of a glass?"

"No…usually at the bottom of a bottle."

Obi-wan paused and said, "You can't keep this inside, Anakin. It will poison you and it will affect your children eventually. You have to talk to someone."

Anakin sighed deeply, "I am."

Next post will be in two weeks...

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	3. Three

Sorry for the delay guys...this was supposed to be posted yesterday...Not enough hours in a day I guess. This chapter may seem a little short. I didn't want to be too late posting this chap, so i will creatively add the missing piece to the next installment.

This chapter focuses entirely on one of Anakin's memories which will appear from time to time as we progress through the story and will always be in italics.

-Thank you for the wonderful comments. Its my fuel.-

**Three**

_Anakin looked at his reflection in the mirror and inspected his face, turning it left and right as he searched for any patches of hair needing removal. He was standing in the fresher with a towel wrapped around his waist, doing his best to keep his wet hair out of his eyes. Identifying a few missed areas, he positioned himself and his razor. As the blade made contact with his skin, the day's itinerary flowed into his mind._

_This was the day his children were to leave with their mother for three weeks at Varykino to spend time sorely needed to strengthen their bond strained by her continued absence from home. He knew this would be good for Luke and Leia and hoped their departure would go well without exception. _

_Anakin could feel the approaching tendrils of Padme's presence before she appeared in the fresher doorway. In that small measure, he could tell she was upset about something. At this point, it was a common occurrence. For nearly a year, they have experienced a gradual metamorphosis in Padme. They began to see less of Padme the wife and mother, and more of Padme the senator of Naboo. Her demeanor changed as well. She rarely offered the joy of her smiles, frustrated and infuriated by the manipulative nature of bureaucracy. Padme allowed this feelings to follow her home. She'd spend hours in her office, buried in her work. Padme relied heavily on Dorme to act on her behalf for the children's needs and certain family events. It had gotten to the point where Padme went to bed several hours later than Anakin did. They had become two ships passing in the night. _

_Talking to her about her change in mood and time spent working usually turned in to an argument, without a resolution in sight. Barely spending more than a few minutes in the same room, it was clear that they were drifting apart. Frustrated, Anakin resigned to do what he could to maintain the children's happiness and stem the widening gap between him and his wife._

_Padme stood on the threshold, her hand was causally resting on the doorway. Anakin glanced at her reflection as he continued his ritual. The brown eyes he used to lose himself in were cold and unyielding. Her cheeks slightly flushed and her lips shut. Anakin could tell that she was making an effort not to satisfy her muscle's natural urge to stiffen under a heightened emotion and keep her movements open and fluid. Her breaths were even and relaxed and she paid attention to her body language. He knew what she was doing and it annoyed him. It was her way of keeping her composure and maintaining a cool head in order to drive the discussion the way she wanted, deriving the desired information. It was a character trait of a politician, acquired after years of training. He found it insulting that she'd employ such a manipulative tactic on him, as if she forgot he was a Jedi, as if she forgot….he was her husband. _

_Preemptively, he asked, __"Are the kids ready?" He spoke from the corner of his mouth, as he pulled the razor along the right side of his chin. His eyes knowingly shifted in her direction. Though he hoped Luke and Leia's trip would be uneventful, deep down he knew something would always get in the way. _

_Disarmed, she blinked and shifted her gaze away from him. "Something's come up and I can't take the children to Naboo. So they'll leave with Dorme and I'll meet them there as soon as I can." _

_He could've said those words with her. They were uttered often enough to be burned into his memory. Anakin dropped his gaze as he rinsed the blade off in the running water._

"_And how long will that be?" The tone in his voice hardened as frustration percolated. And as he lifted the blade back to his chin, he waited for her response._

"_A week at the most. There is a conference that I must attend and I can't miss it."_

'_YOU CAN'T MISS IT?' _

_It bellowed so loud in Anakin's mind, he nearly believed he said it aloud. He paused mid-stroke and his eyes flashed her direction. He checked his temper and stamped down the urge to vocalize his disapproval. For months now, he discovered that arguing with her never led to resolution. It only widened the breath of space between them and exposed Luke and Leia to the rift. He looked back at his reflection, quieting the simmering frustration. With a dismissive shrug of his brow, he resumed and answered with a seemingly calm voice that barely hinted at his turmoil. _

_"They need to spend time with their mother, Padme. That's the point of them going with you. You have been putting this off for the majority of their summer hiatus and term resumes in less than four weeks. You promised them three weeks."_

"_They're only losing one week. It's not like I am postponing or cancelling the entire trip."_

"_We'll see about that in a week's time."_

_She sighed in annoyance, "I really didn't come in here to discuss this. I came to ask you something, Anakin." _

_It was the way she said his name that foretold this was going to turn into another argument whether he wanted it to or not. He removed the last of the hair under his lips, he said, "I'm listening." _

_"When were you going to tell me you took the kids to see the chancellor?" _

_Padme had returned the favor, seeking truth and disarming him in the process. Putting the razor down, Anakin's gaze fell to the sink bowl, briefly searched the porcelain for an explanation that wouldn't upset her too much. Realizing the impossibility of that, he submitted to confessing and dealing with whatever may come. He grabbed the hand towel lazily draped over his left shoulder and wiped his face clean. "I meant to tell you. I just never got around to it."_

_"Almost a month has passed and you never got around to it." She nodded in comprehension. "Meaning you didn't think I'd find out." _

"_No, I knew you'd be upset. I just couldn't find the right time and I'm sorry." Anakin lightly tossed the towel aside, stepped around her and walked out of the fresher. "I didn't mean for you to find out like this." He spoke over his shoulder, "How did you find out?"_

_She fell in step behind him. "That's irrelevant. The point is you went behind my back." Anakin could feel her anger intensify. _

_He walked into the closet and disappeared in the folds of clothes as he searched for what he intended to wear. She remained outside, watching him. As he removed his towel revealing a nude muscle toned body and explained while he dressed, "I didn't go behind your back, Padme. He requested to see me and I had the kids with me. You were working and there was no one to look after them. What else could I do? Stash them somewhere?"_

_"That's no excuse! You could have left them outside the office with the receptionist, Anakin! You know how I feel about him!"_

_Anakin pulled his pants up and fastened them. "I know. And I know you're upset, but he was standing there when I came in and Luke and Leia were excited to see him. Padme, he would not do anything to harm the kids. He's been nothing but a mentor and a friend and I trust him." He pulled a tunic over his head._

_Padme put her hands on her hips and shifted her weight to one side. "I need you to understand that my duties as Senator require that I keep my personal life far from my professional life."_

_Anakin frowned. She was treading on sensitive ground; a battlefield where the point is never conceded and never discussed. For a moment, he considered not responding and allowing his silence to end the discussion. But he couldn't let her get away with what she was doing to the children…and to him. He moved closer to her. "Then that requires you to perform one hell of a balancing act. The problem is, one is dominating the other. Perhaps you should consider which role is more important." _

"_You're one to talk." Padme huffed, gesturing at him. "How many times have you dropped everything for an assignment?"_

"_I've cut back on the assignments I take!" Anakin felt himself losing the battle with his frustration. "I have put limits on how far and long I am gone! If you were home more often, you'd know that!" He took a breath and ran a hand through his wet curly hair._

"_I do not have the luxury of cutting back and setting limits. I am a Senator, Anakin, and there are certain responsibilities I cannot shirk!"_

"_Is that what you think I've done?" He pointed to himself. "I chose to cut back because I have more important responsibilities…being a father and a husband."_

_The jab wasn't lost on her. She pointed a finger at him. "Don't you dare turn this around on me, Anakin Skywalker! The issue is not about spending time with the kids! You cannot escape the fact that out of the two of us, you're the one who lied." _

"_What?" Anakin narrowed his eyes in disbelief._

"_You weren't going to say a word!"_

_Anakin paused. The accusation was sobering. There was fine line he was treading and he needed her to understand. "I left it out. I didn't lie."_

_Padme narrowed her eyes. "An omission is a lie and if you can't make the distinction between lying and coming clean, then maybe I need to re-evaluate my trust in you."_

"_So now it's a game of semantics?" He folded his arms._

"_But the point remains the same…deception." She pointed a finger. "And it doesn't have a place here."_

"_The games you play at the senate rotunda do not belong here, either."_

_He could see her eyes flash with anger. He didn't give her an opportunity to respond. "You are blowing this whole thing out of proportion, Padme. Instead, think about how your duties have affected us in the last year. Your priorities have gradually shifted out of wack, and most of your time is spent working. You bring your work home with you. You've become more and more distant, and now you are arguing with me over my 20 year friendship with the chancellor!"_

_Something registered behind her eyes. It was as if she understood his complaint but would not or could not validate it. She turned and walked away from him, speaking calmly. "We are at war, Anakin. Trust is quickly becoming a rare commodity. I am aware that I haven't been around as much as I used to be, but I can't help that. I made a commitment and while this war wages on my duties are not something I can lightly set aside. "_

_He nodded his head, "The same is true for me. However when the children were born and you returned to the senate, I requested to be removed from the front lines and be one of the few Jedi stationed on Coruscant in order to fulfill my duties as a Jedi, father and husband." _

_He took a few more steps toward her. "Over the last few months your dislike of the chancellor has increased exponentially. What is really going on here, Padme? This isn't really about what I have done or didn't tell you. This is about what you are not telling me. This is about what you know or what you are involved in. You're either in over your head or your about to be and it could affect us all. So, tell me what's going on."_

_He could sense her shutter under his question. It confirmed that he was on to something. "I don't know what you're talking about." She finally turned. "Anakin, I am doing my best to distance my personal life from someone I know to be corrupt, while you're doing the opposite."_

_With a wry expression, Anakin folded his arms. "Looks to me like I should be questioning my trust in you."_

"_Why do you refuse to see danger in the form of a friend? Why won't you consider that this man is not what you've been led to believe?" She continued passionately, "Palpatine cannot be trusted and I don't want the kids around him."_

"_And that's final?" He asked quietly, "You don't trust my judgment?"_

"_At this point? It's in question."_

"_My judgment is in question." He said to himself, pinching the bridge of his nose with his index finger and thumb. He couldn't believe she was saying this to him. Anakin could barely contain himself. "This from a woman who can't decide which is more important, her job or her family! A woman possessing sound judgment and common sense knows when to leave work at work and not alienate her family, right?"_

_Anakin continued, unable to stem the rising temper._

"_Do you think I'm so oblivious? That I can't sense you're keeping something from me? I'm not the only one who omitted certain truths, Padme! But I will confess one for you now. I think your being a hypocrite."_

_She blinked in surprise. "A hypocrite?" Her nostrils flared, as she was seething. "Funny that the hero with no fear, the chosen one, can be duped by the chancellor! What does that make you? If you can sense something as minute as secret why can't you sense that Palpatine is keeping something from you? You may be a Jedi, but that doesn't make you infallible! You can and have made mistakes!"_

"_Let's see how vast your knowledge base is…Name one."_

"_Your mother." She shut her eyes as soon as it came out. It was immediately clear Padme did not intend to say this, but it flowed as it if were on the tip of her tongue. She covered her mouth with a hand and opened her eyes again. _

_Anakin gave her a cold hard gaze. He slowly nodded, comprehending that the argument just took a turn for the worse and Padme had gone below the belt. He didn't expect her to use his mother's death against him. It was a politician's tactic. _

_Realizing she crossed a line, she spoke apologetically, taking a step toward him. "Anakin, I'm so sorry. I don't know why I said that. I didn't—" She tried to place a hand on his arm, but he abruptly shifted away._

_Her apology didn't hit its target, he was too hurt and irate to let it. He took a breath and looked away from her, an attempt to push away the anger that lingered dangerously close to his tongue. It proved to be a forlorn effort. _

"_Perhaps you've made some crucial mistakes too?" He turned and slowly walked away from her. "Let's see…Luke's and Leia's graduation from the crèche. Where were you on their first day at the academy? How about their first skills demonstration? Who sat in your seat, Padme? Hmm? Dorme. She has been your stand-in for nearly a year. A good mother would be there to witness those things. A good mother would not bury herself in work. She doesn't choose duty over her children." _

_Padme shook her head. "Anakin, please. Y-you don't understand—"_

"_I understand perfectly well. What other mistakes will you make, my love? Do you think the children are too young to notice? They barely see you. Eventually, they will forget you. Maybe they'll think you are the handmaiden and Dorme is their mother. What kind of a mother neglects her child's needs in favor of preparing for a conference? Some mother you turned out to be. No, you go ahead. Go to your conference. I am sure whatever the republic requires is more important. I suppose I will tell the kids why you've let them down…yet again. I am sure they are used to it by now." _

_He turned his back on her and placed his hands on the chest of drawers against the wall. He could feel her anger had completely dissipated, replaced by the wound he just created. His stinging words found their mark, deeply hurting her. It didn't matter as far as he was concerned. She deserved to hear every word. And yet part of him cursed himself for giving in to his anger and letting the argument go so far. He didn't want to face her. Still , his pride was able to find a foothold in his conscience. _

_A long silence passed, before Padme spoke again. Her voice shook with the tears that were sliding down her soft cheeks. _

"_The day will come when you will see for yourself what kind of man Palpatine is. You will learn what he has been doing and it will cause you so much pain to know that you didn't listen to me; that you had your children around him; that you defended him passionately and deeply hurt me in the process… I apologize for what I said and I hope you can forgive me." _

_The intention of his words was realized. _

"_Luke left one of his toys at the chancellor's office. One of his assistants delivered it here a few minutes ago."_

_Anakin closed his eyes against the new found shame filtering in, calling himself a fool._

_The whirring of gears grew louder declaring the entrance of a __protocol droid__. "Oh dear. Excuse me. I don't mean to intrude, but my lady your transport has arrived to take you to your ship."_

_"Thank you threepio." She said softly. The rustling of her dress sounded her exit and the end of their argument._

TBC...

_Next post in two weeks.  
_

_RRR! Read, Relish, Review_


	4. Four

Since this story is developing at a faster rate than I expected, I will try to post weekly instead of bi-weekly.

I know I promised the end of chapter three, but in finishing the paragraph or two I had written, it ballooned into a chapter by itself. So I hope you guys don't mind.

*Italic – memories

*bold, cap text – the subconscious/dream state

**Four**

The memory came unbidden and unwelcomed, assaulting him with a reminder of their last words and the feeling of guilt for his lack of immediate action. He could still hear her pain laced words reverberating relentlessly on the walls of his cognizance. Standing before Chancellor Palpatine's unoccupied desk triggered the unwanted memory as he eyed the various accents dotting the spacious room.

There were statues and hung works of art in various places. It had been a few months since he'd last been in the office and realized how much some things changed and how some hadn't. He walked toward the desk and eyed a few pieces positioned on the periphery. One object that caught his eye was a dagger set in a stand. It was unsheathed and appeared to be very old. Picking it up, he was surprised at how light it was. He admired the elegant engravings and etchings in the hilt. It was understated and yet remarkable at the same time.

Though he sensed the chancellor's entry into the office, he didn't realize he was watching him.

"Caution, Anakin. The blade is cryptite, the strongest known metal alloy and it's still very sharp."

He turned to see the Chancellor approach. "Still?"

"Believe it or not," Chancellor ascended the steps leading to his desk. "That relic was in service during the Sith Wars."

Anakin looked at him incredulously.

Understanding Anakin's unspoken question, he explained, "I acquired it from my mentor. It serves as a reminder of the peace that has existed in the Republic for over a millennia." He stood before the panoramic view of the senate district. "We will attain peace again once this war is over."

Anakin looked back at the dagger, turning it over in his hand. "This war has been raging for over 5 years now, chancellor. Do you really believe peace will come?"

Palpatine turning around to face his young friend, answered with a knowing look. "I believe there is a time for everything; a time war and a time for peace. Nothing lasts forever." He finished with an encouraging smile.

The words struck a deep cord in the well of Anakin's soul. He paused, considering the weight of the chancellor's double meaning, before replacing the dagger in its stand.

"You are welcome to have it, Anakin."

"No, I—I couldn't. Thank you."

Palpatine simply smiled and turned back to the view of Coruscant. "I am certain you know I am going to ask. Term will resume at the academy soon. How are Luke and Leia?"

"They're fine, and excited about their return." Anakin walked toward the window, sharing Palpatine's view.

He glanced over at him. "I imagine their excitement is not purely for the academy."

Again, Anakin shifted a puzzled gaze toward him.

Palpatine clarified. "They must be excited to see you again."

He nodded and turned back to the window. "I know they are." He dropped his gaze his inflection lowered. "I don't speak to them as often as I should. I have only seen them once since…Padme." He didn't want to finish the sentence.

"I see." Palpatine turned to face him with a gaze laced with concern. Understanding the sensitivity in the subject, he offered another. "I am certain that once your investigation is over you will find the time for them. I hear it's finally underway."

"Yes, it is. Thank you for clearing the redtape for me. It would've taken forever to get what I needed from the CSF. I've spent the majority of the time gathering information and reading reports. I've only recently got a hold of the recorded witness testimonies."

"Oh? How many are there?"

"Quite a few…" Anakin raised his eyebrows. "…at least 30 datachips worth."

"This investigation is a tremendous task to take on alone. Anakin, I worry that this will overwhelm you." Pausing he slightly tilted his head downward. "I trust you have help?"

"Obi-wan has given me his support."

Palpatine smiled. "Excellent. And if you need any more assistance from me, do not hesitate. I am glad to provide it."

"Thank you, Chancellor."

"I understand the need for bureaucracy. However there are times when it does get in the way. I must say Anakin," He paused momentarily in thought, "I am pleased and concerned that you have taken this on."

"Sir?" Anakin furled his brow.

"Pleased, because a high profile tragedy such as Padme's death requires the skills of someone possessing more finely tuned faculties, such as yourself. As Chancellor, I am expected to demonstrate my full support and confidence in the abilities of the Coruscant Security Force. However, this case was over their heads. That much is clear to me. It was that unavailability of the Jedi left me no other option."

"And concerned?"

Palpatine sighed and turned taking few steps away from Anakin. "Concerned, because this investigation could be a great burden for you to undertake as the spouse." He turned around and faced him with worrisome eyes. "You are very close to this, Anakin. It could affect you profoundly; make it harder to move on."

These words echoed Obi-wan sentiment. "I understand. But I have to do this. I need to see this through."

"Perhaps, but don't let this dominate you. It's clear that it has taken a toll. You carry a weight very few could manage." It was clear he was not only talking about the psychological change in Anakin, but also the physical changes.

"It was suggested that I talk to a professional. Get help with coping with her death. But I don't think I ever will cope. I am angry with myself for failing. My faith in the force has certainly been shaken. I have always been told to put my faith in the will of the force. I find it hard when it's caused me to lose those closest to me."

"I don't think therapy is going to do you any good, Anakin. You need to find a way to make things right." Palpatine drew closer with his hands clasped behind his back. "What you have been trained to do, what you have been taught would have been sound if it were not possible to bend the will of the force."

Incredulously, Anakin looked at him.

Palpatine sighed, "It sounds impossible but it's true. I have heard of such skills: use of the force to enhance premonitions, the ability to make an weapon unless against you and those you protect, the ability to effect life and death, skills so powerful it could even be used to extract the specters of the departed, restoring them body and soul."

Intrigued, Anakin turned away from the window. "Bend the will of the force? Is this actually possible?"

"Indeed." Palpatine nodded. "I am not surprised that you've not been told of this. The Jedi neglect these concepts in their teachings. I believe it's something they frown upon. They choose the more passive method. Trusting in the force and adapting to whatever changes it makes."

Anakin lowered his gaze, considering Palpatine words. Though the concept was tempting and his curiosity stoked, he couldn't forget how misleading the force can be or the festering wound it left him with. "The force is cruel, unpredictable and unfair." He said bitterly. "Doing something like that would require someone powerful enough to manipulate the force, control it."

The chancellor remained silent.

Anakin continued, "Use of the force in such a way is unnatural. That is a power reserved for the darkside…for a Sith."

"Does it really matter whether the power is dark or light? It's two sides of the same coin. What matters is who wields this power. Everything has a darkside. The ability to handle appropriate portions of both would take someone of great skill and ability. It would mean controlling the force, not it controlling you."

In Padme's old office, Anakin leaned forward in the couch, resting his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. He couldn't shake Palpatine's words from his mind. The idea of being reunited with Padme, to have his family and his heart whole again, gave him a hint of hope. But such an act would be a violation of the laws of nature….he knew this much.

He dropped his hands and raised his head. His eyes met the holo of Padme in her wedding dress gazing happily into her new husband. But wouldn't it be worth it?

Having Padme back would be like coming home after a long arduous tour of duty.

His fingers instantly ached to touch her again. His senses begged to be saturated by her presence, but the bitterness of her absence renewed his pain and brought forth a need to drown it out. Unable to push it back into the recesses of his mind, he furled his brow at the unopened liquor bottle before him. He paused before retrieving it considering the point of using a glass, and grabbed it by the neck. With a twist of his wrist, he snapped off the cap and tossed it lightly on the table. He brought the bottle to his lips and spent the rest of the evening drinking until he passed out.

**_He opened his eyes again and found himself lying surrounded by tall thin stalks of green. He could hear the distant roar of a waterfall and could hear the chatter of the waters that ran nearby. The air was sweeter, reminiscent of a happier time. The sky above was bluer than any he had ever known, reminiscent of…_**

**_He sat up and looked about him. Everything was just where he remembered them… majestic snow capped mountains stationed behind him, completing the back drop, flower bearing trees dotted the distance; the meadow surrounded him, filled with green stalks capped with yellow buds. He was back at the lake country, drawn back in time nine years. It was the year he married her. _**

**_He could sense her presence though he could not yet see her. He looked to his left and then to his right. It felt as though she was all around him, but not yet to be seen. Anakin looked back to his left and found her sitting beside him. _**

**_She was exactly as he remembered her back then. Padme was the picture of beauty. Her crown of brown curls allowed a few tendrils to frame her angelic face. She looked on him with deep brown eyes that conveyed her love for him, and he was immediately taken. He was immediately taken by the scent of her. Her warm soft skin was now within his reach to sate his fingers' desire. He reached out cautiously afraid she would dissipate into a thousand particles of reality. He closed his eyes and prayed as he made contact. With her presence confirmed, the tears welled in his eyes. _**

**_He opened his eyes again. The corners of her lips spread slightly giving away to a welcoming smile. He could see she missed him as well and wanted desperately to be with him again. He gently cradled her cheeks his hands and took in every inch of her face. Before he could process the thought, his lips were on hers. He savored her fingers passed through his hair. He wanted so much to make the moment permanent._**

**_Their foreheads touching, he pulled away just enough to speak. "Padme, I-I am so sorry. I'm so so sorry."_**

**"_Oh, Ani. I love you so very much."_**

**"_I've missed you very day you've been gone."_**

**"_And I've missed you too." Padme pulled back further to look into his eyes. _**

**"_I want you back, Padme." Anakin spoke through the tears streaming down his cheeks. "I think I have found a way to bring you back."_**

**"_Bring me back? No. My place is here now."_**

**"_No." He shook his head. His eyes were filled with pain. "It doesn't have to be."_**

**"_Anakin, I know it's been hard. I know you have been struggling. Don't think I don't know what's been happening."_**

**_He furled his brow._**

**_Caressing his face in her hands, she wiped away his tears with her thumbs and sadly said, "You've been sick, Ani. "_**

**_He smiled and moved in to kiss her. "I'm fine, my love." _**

**"_Anakin," Padme pulled back a little more and looked on him with such pity in her eyes. Her voice shook with concern. "You need help."_**

**_Anakin straightened. "I am fine, Padme. You don't have to worry about me."_**

**_She turned toward the picnic basket beside her and retrieved a half-empty liquor bottle. Upon seeing it, he faltered and lowered his head. Her point understood, he blinked and searched for the right words to explain his reasons. _**

**"_I'm haunted by the things I never should've said. I'm haunted by how much I hurt you..." He couldn't bring himself to look at her. "…by knowing I could've saved you. I failed you."_**

**"_Anakin, you need to accept that there are things beyond anyone's control, regardless of the power one may possess. What happened was meant to happen. You didn't fail me. You never have."_**

**_A curled finger found a place under his chin and raised his head gently to meet her gaze. Though he found it difficult to maintain the eye contact, he couldn't look away. The pity in her eyes was replaced by compassion, strength and confidence. _**

**"_I have forgiven what was said a long time ago." Her eyebrows rose emphasizing her point. "It's time you forgave yourself, so that you can heal and be strong again."_**

**"_Strong?" His eyes narrowed as if the concept were foreign. He shook his head slowly, "I can't, Padme. Not without you. My strength went with you when you died." He held her small hands in his. "I don't know how to be without you. I-I need you."_**

**"_Anakin—"_**

**"_Padme, you say your place is here. Then my place is by your side. We are together again. Right here and now, and we can stay together always."_**

**_Padme's eyes began to well with unspent tears. She sadly shook her head. "Not yet. You aren't finished. You're must go back." _**

**"_No, Padme. Please."_**

**"_They need you."_**

**"_Luke and Leia are better off without me. I am a danger to them."_**

**"_They will need you now more than ever, Ani." The tears began to roll down her cheeks. "I need you now more than ever. Please Anakin. I need you strong again… so that you can help us."_**

**_Her words registered a fear she was carrying. Concerned, he asked, "What's going on, Padme?'_**

**"_You have to stop him."_**

**"_Who?"_**

**"_The one who hurt us. The one who will use you to o hurt us again, Ani."_**

**_Though her words were cryptic, he understood the danger she was spelling out. "I'd die before this happens again."_**

**"_Then help us, Anakin. Stop him before he succeeds." She looked up at the sky realizing that the weather pattern is changing. She looked back to him and through her tears; she smiled again and kissed him gently. "I love you more than you'll ever know." _**

**_Realizing that their borrowed time was up, he held her in his arms. He buried his nose in her hair and breathed in the scent of Nubian flowers. It was a silent petition for some of her grace, just a piece of her, would come back with him. "Don't go, Padme. Not yet."_**

**_As she began to fade, she spoke into his ear, "Let go of your guilt, Anakin. Forgive yourself and stop him."_**

**_Her disembodied voice echoed, "And when you are finished, I will be here waiting for you." _**

**_Anakin found himself alone in the familiar bitter dark expanse to realize that this investigation held more at stake than he initially thought. It was now a race against time and challenge to trust himself once again. _**

Next update…

Next week Friday (since five is nearly completed)


	5. Five

Sorry for the delay guys. Had some bad pizza. This chapter is a bit short, but I didn't want to rush things. Please enjoy!

**FIVE**

As the night waned into dawn, the lock of hair he held close had become the neck of a bottle and the scent of flowers, replaced by the acerbic stench of the liquor still inside. The light of the morning sun broke through the opening in the office window curtains and caressed his face. Roused from his stupor, Anakin moaned and shifted his head, reluctantly opening his eyes to be greeted by the intricate moldings on the ceiling. He cursed his existence and slowly sat up unsure of how he ended up on the floor or what transpired just before passing out. His head pounded with an incessant throbbing that seemed to intensify as he began to accept his moment with Padme was over.

Instinctively he picked up the half empty liquor bottle and drew it close to his waiting lips. Before making contact he remembered Padme's need. He looked sadly at it forcing himself to acknowledge how dependant he's become on the liquid inside. He realized how much he's allowed it to change the man he was, the man Padme loved. Anakin forced himself to realize that he let himself down. As he tilted the bottle and swilled the contents, he understood that not being the man Padme married, distanced himself from her even more than he realized. In mourning her, he replaced her with alcohol and allowed it make him into something that was irreconcilable with his former self. He sank so deep into depression and grief that he couldn't see how far he'd gone or how isolated he was and he didn't care. It was the first time since Padme died that he thought about more than just his grief and where he went wrong.

Anakin looked at his surroundings, seeing how far he had fallen. He carefully put the bottle on the coffee table. A large part of him wanted to ignore all that and drink until he was numb. But there was a small piece of him that resisted and wanted to answer Padme's call no matter what it took. Though that piece of him was a minority, it was still strong enough to hold sway.

Anakin rose to his feet and immediately felt a wave of nausea creep upon him from the bottom of his stomach. Partly surprised and irritated by his decision, Anakin turned his back on the bottle and proceeded out of the office.

* * *

Anakin stepped out of the shower and wrapped the towel around his waist. The room was filled with steam from the shower. He walked over to the mirror and wiped the condensation from the surface with his large hand. He couldn't deny his surprise at the reflection gazing back at himself. Though passing out nearly every night, he still looked as if he hadn't been sleeping. His skin had become slightly pale. His hair was alittle longer than he would've liked. But the most noticeable change of all is the beard that he'd allow to take over the lower half of his face. Most times, he didn't care enough to cut it more frequently and opted to cutting it whenever he felt compelled. He hadn't shaved in nearly three weeks. He was starting to look like a taller Obi-wan. Passing his hand over his bristly cheek, he remembered the only advantage to having a beard. Everyone was so accustomed to the clean shaven Anakin Skywalker, they didn't recognize him with a beard. It meant not having to be inundated with words of condolence, concern or solace both genuine and false. He didn't have to be showered with looks of pity, constantly reminding him he'd lost something very precious to him. Instead, they would ignore him as if he were just another man. And Anakin liked it that way.

Still, the astounding truth was blaring at him. Anakin had done such an excellent job of isolating himself that he barely recognized his reflection. Yet the blue eyes, as tired and as lessened as they were still carried the reminder of his former self.

He removed hair from all but his chin. As the razor made contact with his skin, he caught something in the mirror on the periphery of his vision. His eyes shifted to the reflection of it in the mirror and narrowed his eyes. Was it a hallucination? Did he slip into some seamless dream? Was she really there? It was Padme…leaning against the doorway of the fresher, smiling her as though she were proud of him, as if she were so in love. She wore a lavender nightgown, one of his favorites that allowed his eyes to drink in the natural curvature of her body and revealed the fullness of her round breasts. Her brown hair showered over her shoulders in large curls. Anakin froze mid-stroke unwilling to take his eyes off her, fearing the moment when he did she'd be gone.

At the same time he could hear her voice echoing… "My place is here now…"  
Those words were beginning to haunt him. It was the same words uttered by his mother the day he was freed.

Anakin mouthed his response, "It doesn't have to be." He couldn't deny that Palpatine's words struck a cord of hope in the depths of his heart. Anakin began to reason with the conflict placed against the notion of 'extracting spectors' from the netherworld of the force. It would be seen as a violation of nature.

It was his reasoning, but heard in Palpatine's voice…'Still, it would put right what had gone wrong.'

Anakin made himself drop eye contact with Padme's image. He lowered his head as he rinsed the razor in the running water. He didn't bother looking back up. He knew she was gone. He recognized the rising urge to sate the pain with liquor. Struggling to maintain his new found sobriety and deal with his pain head on, he allowed the tears to fall.

Accepting Padme's death and moving on would likely be the one mission he may not complete. Why should he? Especially when a way out has been shown. Anakin shook his head realizing whatever he decided to do, comprising his sobriety would impact finding the one behind her death and possibly bringing her back.

* * *

Anakin walked into the office and pointed a finger at the golden droid seated in the corner of the room. Instantly the large round eyes came to life and the body suddenly reanimated.

"Oh!" He shifted his metal head from side to side. "Good Morning, Master Anakin." Angular arms poised to serve, C3P0 rose from his station. "I hope this day has found you well."

"I suppose it has, Threepio." Anakin sat down on the couch. "I will need your help with a special task."

"As always, I am at your service."

"Do your best to remove all the liquor bottles from the apartment, even if it's not empty. I don't want to see any more of it around here." He sat down on the couch and fumbled through a pile of datachips. "See if R2 can give you a hand."

"Of course, master Anakin." The sound of the droid's gears shrank into the distance as he left the room.

Anakin spent the majority of the evening going through the numerous datachips still scattered about the coffee table, purposely avoiding the large datachip that held footage of the tragedy. Although he knew Obi-Wan was right about the difficulty watching the video, he understood it had to be done. It was necessary and only someone skilled in mechanics and piloting would be able to spot any external irregularities. He was the only one that could possibly do this. It all depended on how strong he would be to watch it happen all over again.

He was seated on the couch with the holoprojector before him. Occasionally, he'd change the datachip and review the recorded testimonies of the witnesses. He listened to each, some more than others, depending on the validity of the entire claim. The testimonies that he found credible and had interesting points were tossed into one pile while the others were tossed in another.

He picked up a small remote that he had nearby and activated the holoviewer. The first image was of a woman dressed in a suit. Apparently she was conducting a board meeting during the time of the collision. He listened to her tearful testimony loosely interested.

"…I-I don't know. It happened so fast. I was standing with my back to the window. One of the directors was distracted by something happening behind me. I turned around and saw the freighter pass through the westbound traffic lane. It looked like it picked up speed. I couldn't finish my presentation. I never saw anything like that. It went past the building. The windows shook. I heard the explosion. And I saw…"

Anakin changed the datachip and played another…

"…yeah, I was waiting for my girlfriend on the corner. I saw everything. It was horrible. Nobody could have survived that. No body. Not even a Jedi. I had to run back inside, I was two blocks away and I could still feel the heat from the explosion…"

He played another…

"…the ship was taking off and then the other one came out of nowhere, at top speed it looked like. I didn't think it was pilot error. My brother operates freighters. He tells me these things all the time. I can't believe Senator Amidala's gone. You know, I'm half Nubian on my father side…"

He went through the entire pile and was down to the last two recordings and inserted one in…

"I was on the 87th floor. I wash windows, you see. When the droids malfunction, I'm usually sent into get the job done while it goes for fixin'. Anyways, I'm washing the window and I get a call from my old lady, you know. She wants me to pick up a marble rye on the way home. Well, before I could finish what I was sayin', I look over to the westbound traffic and I see the freighter. I thought it was strange to see one there since usually the freighters are in the industrial sectors on the other side of Coruscant. Next thing I know its pullin' off before the exit and there's smoke comin' from the engines. I tells my wife to hold on and so I could see whats goin' on. It took me a few seconds to realize this ship's lost break power, it seemed like the pilot tried to turn the ship left to avoid more traffic. I know a little bit about piloting, you know. It was headin' toward this really fancy lookin' ship. It looked like a Nubian ship. You, know they always have such nice tech. Yeah, the freight collided with the Nubian bird from above. Those poor people. Whoever was on that ship didn't have a chance."

Anakin stopped the recording and sat frozen on couch. After processing what he'd just heard, he realized the testimony suggested a possibility of foul play. The only way to confirm that would be to watch the footage. Anakin had been avoiding it for weeks and could no longer. He would have been the only one to know what to look for in piloting performance. He could tell in an instant where the error lay. With some measure of reluctance, he inserted the large datachip in to the holoviewer.

A large prism erected before him, offering a view of the freighter careening left and right avoiding buildings and other traffic. The ship finally turned left. He replayed the footage at a slower pace and watched it navigate out of the traffic lanes and around buildings. He watched move left and to the right avoiding other vehicles and obstructions. He watched it turn left and stay its course, seemingly gaining astonishing speed.

Anakin stopped it short of the impact. It was all he could bear to see and all that he needed to see. What he just saw justified suspicions he carried with him for nearly a year. It warranted a visit to Coruscant Security Force's Archive of Evidentiary Materials.

* * *

_Anakin slid his foot into his boot and adjusted his pants around the opening. He couldn't help but to look across the room and see Luke's toy lying on the table in the sitting area. He cursed himself for not being more cautious the day he visited the chancellor and for not telling her about the visit sooner. Anakin admitted to himself that he could have handled it better. He accepted that though the argument was bigger than necessary he could have ended it better. It was then that he detected a strange sensation in the force. It was too imperceptible to give it the appropriate attention. Anakin shrugged it off as a minor hiccup in the force, probably induced by his heightened sensitivity from the argument. As he disregarded it, the sensation seemed to fade into irrelevance. Standing up he slowly shook his head and walked toward the balcony. The sun was beginning to descend into the horizon, casting a darker shadow on the skyscrapers punctuating the cityscape. He looked down and watched as Padme's speeder pulled away from the verandah and into the distance. Anakin decided he could make it up to her. He considered surprising her on Naboo or waiting for her return to Coruscant and planning a romantic evening or weekend. A smile grew on his face as he considered the ways he could make it up to her and perhaps narrow the gap between them. Almost immediately the smile disappeared. The hope that laced his thoughts was now replaced with fear, as an ominous threat loomed in his heart. He could feel something great and terrible was about to happen. He closed his eyes momentarily to focus on the sensation and gain some clarity._

_Whatever it was, it surrounded Padme. Like a bolt, Anakin turned and darted out of the bedchamber, extending his hand and calling his hilt to him. He clipped it to his belt as he flew down the stairs. He didn't have time to explain to his children or Dorme who stood by, what was happening or when he'd return. He barely had time to utter the prayers. So he said them in his heart, begging the force to be merciful._

_Anakin jumped into the cockpit of his starfighter, docked at the verandah. He sped off after her speeder. Hoping beyond hope that he would intercept her before danger did._

**NEXT UPDATE:**

Friday...hopefully.**  
**


	6. Six

**SIX **

CSF Archive of Evidentiary Material - The words were deeply engraved into the slab of stone over the threshold of the warehouse. The building's gothic detailing, indicative of its old age, only added to its unwelcoming appearance. Located on the other side of the industrial sector, it was regarded as one of the few places that still housed pieces of evidence involved in criminal and high profile cases. Just behind the facility were several acres of open land, where the larger evidentiary materials were stored. Surrounded by an electrified fence and an invisible airspace barrier, the entire facility was heavily protected. There was a gate in the electrified fence, allowing for deliveries by way of tow ship. There were several signs posted on the gate warning of the dangers of unauthorized access including being shot, electrocuted, eaten or mauled by various creatures running loose on the property and prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.

Anakin looked up at the facility entrance, realizing that he was a step closer to gaining physical proof of his suspicions. Never in his heart could he accept that Padme's death was brought on by a tragic accident. She was too important a person to the republic and to him. There had to be a valid cause for such a departure and this facility held proof of that.

He considered for a moment his feelings when his search at this facility concludes, and a shutter passed through him. If he was proven correct, the range and the intensity of his emotions would be incomprehensible. He had hoped that this trip wouldn't be in vain. He hoped that there would be some evidence, something overlooked by the CSF that could give his theory more credence. However if he were proven utterly wrong, he assumed he'd likely sink deeper into despair and completely let go. It wasn't strange territory for him. For now all he had was speculation and the minute shred of dread his heart harbored for the outcome. Whatever it may be something was driving him forward despite any hesitation, fear and discomfort.

The encouraging beeps of the astromech droid beside him drew his attention away from the facility. Anakin looked down at Artoo.

"Yes, Artoo. This is necessary. That ship may still hold data that was overlooked."

Anakin turned back to the steps leading to the large facility doors and swallowed. He couldn't deny that a large part of him wanted to turn back, go the nearest bar and re-familiarize himself with his comfort zone. But he couldn't. Padme needed him. Her cryptic words replayed in his mind dispelling any restricting urges.

"You have to stop him…stop him before he succeeds."

There was more at stake than just capturing the one behind her death. He had much more to lose. He shut his eyes and grounded out little more strength to push forward. He opened his eyes and sighed. Anakin started towards the steps and was halted by a familiar and welcomed voice.

"I'm glad you decided to wait for me."

"You know me, Obi-wan" Anakin turned his head to the left to see his old master approach. "I've never been one for waiting."

"That remains to be seen." Obi-wan offered a smile. He took in Anakin appearance and said, "You shaved."

"It was time."

Approving, Obi-wan slowly nodded in his head. He was beginning to sense something was different about him. He secretly wondered if Anakin was actually making an effort to get out of his despair. "Now that we are here, would you mind telling me why?"

"I want a closer look at what's left of the freighter. I know there is something that will confirm what I think really happened."

"And that is?"

"I think the freighter was compromised. But it wasn't mechanical or pilot error." Anakin shook his head.

Obi-wan furled his brow. "What makes you think that?"

Anakin completely turned to face him. "One witness says that the freighter passed through the westbound traffic and that it appeared to have been gaining speed." His voice gained a little intensity as he spoke. "Another witness said that it was strange seeing a freighter in this sector since they are usually on the other side of the sector. He also mentioned that there was smoke coming from the engine."

"Gaining speed is consistent with a ship that has lost brake power." Obi-wan provided reasonable doubt. "Smoke would suggest engine failure."

"Seemingly." Anakin raised a finger.

"However, that witness is correct. Freighters are typically closer to this sector. In fact they are restricted from leaving the industrial sector."

"The company that owns the freighter says that their ships are supposed to go to a port to load or unload materials where smaller freighters take them to the drop off point." He folded his arms. "I read a CSF report that states the pilot was on his first day on the job. They assumed he must have missed the exchange point and didn't want to be penalized so he tried to make the delivery himself and lost control of the ship." Anakin paused and said, "I know you were against me doing this, but I had to see it just be sure. I watched the footage of the ship—"

"Anakin—", Obi-wan objected.

Anakin's voice seemed to intensify as he spoke. "There was smoke and it was picking up speed, Obi-wan, going faster than a typical ship of its size with no brake control. The freight company's maintenance log says that all ships routinely get a full diagnostic. This ship missed the last one. The forensic analysis of the ship reports says there was a glitch with navigational controls and that the engine was starting to fail. But I seriously doubt this. It was veering left and right to avoid hitting anything, but when it was headed for Padme's ship…" He stopped himself and lowered his gaze.

Understanding Anakin's direction, Obi-wan's eyes widened as he grimly finished the sentence. "…it stayed its course." As the tendrils of revelation twisted around him, Obi-wan began to understand the cause for suspecting foul play.

Anakin only nodded.

Obi-wan stroked his beard, realizing the strong likelihood Anakin may have been right all along. And if Anakin's suspicions were true, the assassination was indeed brazen. He couldn't deny the timing was impeccable. The Jedi were overwhelmed and stretched too thin to spare anyone for the investigation, leaving the duty of finding out the cause of Padme's death to fall into the incapable hands of the Coruscant Security Force. He noted that whoever could be behind this was cunning and skilled...likely a highly experienced assassin.

Realizing that Obi-wan was beginning to understand the cause for doubting the initial investigation justified that Anakin's suspicions were well placed. And he began to feel the faint beginnings of a great and terrible rage that threatened to be more intense than what he felt the day Padme died.

Obi-wan looked up at Anakin and could sense his temperament slightly destabilize. He sensed the ever present pain, fear and now a growing anger. He placed a concerned hand on his shoulder.

"Anakin, perhaps you ought to let me go in."

He took a deep breath, looked up at his former master and said, "No, Obi-wan. I can do this. I have to do this." Anakin assured him. "I'll be fine."

Followed by Artoo, they both turned toward the steps and began their ascent.

Obi-wan acknowledged that Anakin was not giving in to his sorrow. He was feeling everything a mourning widower would feel, but allow it to dominate him. This was the proof that by some small measure something was different about Anakin. Something changed. Pleased by the progress, he offered an encouraging smile. "I am glad you called me."

Anakin looked at him over his shoulder. "Me too."

The large door under the engraved words was made of wood and reinforced with metal. There was a wrought iron sculpted hook that held a large loop. It was an old fashioned door knocker, another indication of the building's age. Anakin grabbed the knocker and banged it hard against the door. It took several moments before anything was heard. Anakin knocked again. On the other side of the door, the sound of a piece of furniture dragging across the floor was heard. A small rectangular shaped slot in the door quickly slid open revealing a pair of suspicious eyes. They shifted left and right, scanning Obi-wan first, then Anakin and finally Artoo, standing between them.

The displaced gravelly voice was brusque, "Vhat do you vant? Speak qvickly! I'm armed."

"My name is Anakin Skywalker. I'm investigating a collision that occurred last year involving a YT230 freighter ship. I'm aware that you have this ship stored here. I want access to it."

The eyes narrowed. "On whose authority?"

"The supreme Chancellor himself has authorized my access. You should've received release orders from CSF headquarters."

"Really? Zhat's impressive." His sarcasm wasn't missed despite his moderate command of basic and his heavily rolling R's. "But you must do better zhan zhat. It vill take more zhan just handwritten backstage pass to open zhis door."

The eyes watched them carefully.

Growing annoyed, Anakin wasn't about to be turned away by some stubborn clerk. "I am in no mood to deal with you, gatekeeper. Open this door or I will open it myself!"

"Jedi or not, I've dealt vis more intimidating characters zhan you. Now you go or I put hole in zhis door!"

Anakin folded his arms and spoke coolly. "I'd like to see you try it."

Obi-wan interjected in an attempt to end the escalating debate. He stepped forward and said, "Perhaps you could contact CSF headquarters and find out if there are release orders from the chancellor granting access to the case materials?" He looked at Anakin and then to the keeper. "If there are no release orders, then we will apologetically depart."

The eyes narrowed again, considering the notion. They shifted back toward Anakin and disappeared behind the closing eye slot. A loud thump could be heard just behind the door followed by the sound of fading steps.

Anakin sighed, and glanced over to his former master. "It's a good thing you're here, Obi-wan."

"I know." Obi-wan was always one to demonstrate that cooler heads always prevailed.

Several minutes passed before the sound of several clinking and clanking locks were heard.

The large facility door slowly creaked open, sounding as if it hadn't been opened in a long time. Standing in the door way was a long eared Lannik, cradling a blaster in his arm. Beside him was a stool he was standing on to look through the slot on the door.

"Enter…" He said, closely watching them walk in. He closed the door behind them and re-engaged the locks. Turning to face them, he placed a hand on his chest and bowed his head, "I'm called Bregor. I'm keeper of archives. Please forgive my abrasiveness. I must be on guard at all times. Zhere are many who desperately vish to enter facility. And zhey never stop."

"Why is that?" Anakin asked.

"To steal, alter or destroy." Bregor walked passed them, motioning for them to follow. "Scavengers come to make money, some vant souvenirs; and ozhers seek to destroy or alter proof of crime."

"I am beginning to understand your need for so much protection." Obi-wan said noting the guardian droids standing at attention at the front door behind him.

Bregor led them through a long hallway that led into a large room. It held many rows of bins and large file cabinets. Anakin and Obi-wan could only assume this was only the smaller portion of the entire Archives.

Uttering a low nervous whistle, Artoo scooted behind them, warily observing subtle movements in the shadows.

"Very strange activity for zhese ships." Bregor shook his head.

"Ships?" Obi-wan raised his brows. Anakin's heart clenched and he felt a cold a chill ride up his spine. He didn't expect Padme's mangled to be here and couldn't bear to lay eyes on it. Subconsciously, Anakin slowed his pace. He wanted so much to turn back and leave the facility, to satisfy that ever present urge for a bottle of Namana. It was surprising strong and nearly halted his steps, but an encouraging hand on his shoulder strengthened his resolve.

"Yes, zhey are boz here." Bregor answered over his shoulder. "Typically zhey vould be stored at separate facilities. But space is limited. So? Zhey are boz here. Every fragment, bolt and screw recovered is accounted for."

Obi-wan and Anakin looked at each other.

Anakin asked, "The reports state no readings could be ascertained from the transmission activity log. Do you have it here?"

"Indeed, vats left of it."

"I may need to take that and a few other things with me for closer examination." Anakin added.

Bregor led them through a large gate which opened to a vast yard, filled with rows of what appeared to be scrap metal. "For obvious reasons, large items cannot leave facility. Everyzhing else, we work out details ven you finish."

"Of course."

They walked down a long ramp to where a small hovercart was parked, used for traveling throughout the yard.

"Come viz me, gentlemen. Smaller items are in front of yard. Larger ones in back." Bregor climbed into the driver's seat of the craft. "We take hovercart, no?"

They climbed and rode through the main corridor of the yard, which divided the mountains of scrap metal, wood and various other materials. It seemed more like a junkyard, where useless objects go to die, than an archive. There were several aisles that extended from the main corridor, eluding to what appeared to be endless rows of items.

Obi-wan, who sat in the back, leaned forward. "You said there was strange activity surrounding the ships. Care to elaborate?"

Bregor answered without turning. "Vhen materials come in, zhey are photographed, analyzed and vonce case is close, zhey go to scrap yard for destruction. Vhen CSF close zhis case, bos ships were placed on scrap list. As you can tell by piles of junk still here, I am little backed up. So ships stay here longer. Von day, politician contact me, senator I sink. He tell me 'case vill re-open soon. Do not destroy ships.' It was informal reqvest. Very qviet. He vanted no written proof zhat he contact me. He tell me it vas too dangerous. Zhis isn't my vay, but he vas good man, honest and kind. So I keep ships. No one contact me nor have I receive any information for zhese ships until you two arrive."

"If this politician didn't contact you, both ships would have been destroyed." Obi-wan surmised, raising an eyebrow. "And all corroborative evidence, gone with it." He spared a look toward Anakin.

"Chancellor Palpatine was likely the one who contacted you." Anakin explained. He looked over his shoulder. "I told you he got me passed all the red tape."

"Somehow that's not sitting right with me." Obi-wan stroked his beard.

The tone in Anakin's voice hardened. "My confidence in the CSF is very low. They obviously didn't communicate thoroughly enough. When it comes to bureaucracy, it's often the case of the right hand not knowing what the left is doing." He looked over at Bregor. "I apologize if I've offended you."

Bregor turned down a narrow aisle and continued on for another few minutes. "No-no. You are correct in most instances. However, in vell known case like zhis, CSF is typically very zorough because everyvon is paying attention."

"What made you think, this person was a senator?"

"His ring." Bregor held up his pinky finger. "I have seen it before during holocast of senate meeting. It had large blue juvel in center surrounded by little vhite stones."

The cart stopped just shy of an intersection, where a shorter aisle overlapped. He turned to face both Anakin and Obi-wan, "Zhese two aisles contain remains of bos ships." He watched them step out of the cart. "On left aisle, is freighter. On right aisle, is Nubian ship." He paused for a few seconds and looked at Anakin. "I hope you find vhat you seek. I doubt if you vill find anyzhing. Forensic analysts have been zrough every inch of wreckage."

Anakin snorted and walked away.

Bregor looked to Obi-wan. "Vhen you are ready, call me. I vill hear you."

"Thank you." Obi-wan smiled.

Anakin started toward the left aisle. He held his gaze to his left completely avoiding the right, allowing the aisle to skate past the periphery of his vision.

While Bregor turned back towards the main corridor, Obi-wan raise his eyes to meet the mountainous mass of twisted metal in the right aisle. It was the first time he'd seen the wreckage, blackened and partially melted by intense fire. The fuselage was split open and flattened from the weight of the freighter when it impacted on the streets below. The explosion ripped off a wing, exposing the charred inner wiring. The other wing was indistinguishable from the wreckage. The cockpit which was located at the stern, was gone, unrecognizable amongst the ruined mass. All soft materials, carpeting, wall fabric, plush cushioned seats were burned away leaving only a mangled blackened shell, a skeleton of the Nubian Skiff. It was not the silver elegant, sleek and luminous conveyance typically employed by the late senator. Obi-wan whispered words of peace for the lives lost on the ship and turned down the left aisle.

* * *

Several hours had passed and the light of the setting sun had waned into night. Anakin and Artoo were moving about the ruins of the freighter looking for clues and taking scans.

Obi-wan emerged from a storage shed beside the ship. "Anakin, I think you should take a look at this."

Anakin appeared from behind the ship. "What did you find?"

"Various parts. From what I can tell, it looks like droid parts."

He turned to Artoo who appeared behind him, "Continue taking scans of the ship, Artoo. We going to need as much detail as possible."

The Astromech droid uttered a series of beeps and a boop, and rolled away toward the side of the ship. Anakin walked over to Obi-wan.

The shed held four very large drawers. Obi-wan opened one of them and revealed a wealth of small charred and twisted parts. Anakin put his gloved hand in the collection and closely examined a few pieces.

"Some of these are droid parts. Some of these are parts of the ship. It looks like parts of the droid have been fused with pieces of the console." Anakin sighed.

"There's more…" Obi-wan closed the drawer and opened another, revealing fewer and larger parts. Anakin picked up one of the fragments, turning it over and closely examining it. It appeared to have once resembled a sphere. Now it represented 3/4 of a whole. Anakin surmised it must have been ejected from the ship on impact.

He looked up at Obi-wan. "This is the log I asked Bregor about…at least half of it."

"It's burnt beyond recovery. The circuits are fried."

"You are probably right."

Anakin stooped to his knees and opened the lower drawer, revealing a partially melted torso, neck and head of a droid.

Since the droid was stored in the shed beside the freighter, it was safe to assume that the droid served on the ship. Obi-wan wondered, "Was the body of the freighter pilot ever found?"

"No." Anakin answered grimly. "It was reported the pilot's remains must have disintegrated in the fire."

As if by reflex, Anakin suddenly remembered his days in Watto's shop. Watto gave him a droid whose memory had been erased. He even promised to let him go home early if he could retrieve the data. It took Anakin the better part of a week, but he was eventually successful.

He straightened slightly, not taking his eyes off the droid's partially burnt and battered head and exposed wiring. "We're taking this with us."

TBC…

Expect SEVEN next week…


	7. Seven

**Seven:**

_Anakin raced through traffic lanes and around obstacles. He could just make out the taillights on her speeder and began to hope that he would catch her. He couldn't deny the trepidation was mounting as he calculated how much time he had left to reach her before she made it to the landing dock. Something terrible was about to happen and Padme, his beloved wife, was in the thick of it. Above all else, he would see to it that no harm came to her, he must. He opened a channel to her speeder and was met with interference. He couldn't get a signal, which was something that happened from time to time in this district, but the timing couldn't be worse. The closer his ship came to her the more obstructions seemed to get in the way. A traffic signal halted movement pinning him behind in one lane and her speeder proceeding down another. Anakin pulled out the lane and barreled through the intersecting traffic. He turned into a tunnel and pushed through the traffic at top speed. Several traffic droids started to give chance but was unable to keep up. He passed through the bends in the tunnel and nearly collided with standing traffic. It looked to him like a sea of speeders and ships. He attempted to touch Padme's mind with the force, but his anxiety made it difficult and her unsual silence made it impossible. Frustrated and panicked, he yelled out at the top his lungs and slammed his head against the piloting controls. He moaned Padme's name and raised his head to see black smoke billowing above the vehicles ahead and detected the acrid scent of an electrical fire. His breath caught in his chest briefly before he sensing her presence in the force and that she was okay. Anakin looked around for a way out and immediately pulled the nose of the ship toward the ceiling and turned the ship upside down, skimming the narrow space between the tunnel ceiling and the top of the traffic. On passing the source of the smoke, he saw a minor rear-end collision and the respective drivers shaking their fists and arguing. He cleared the tunnel twisting his ship rightside up and searched for Padme's speeder. After several seconds, it was clear that she was long gone. He had to admit finally that he would never catch her. So Anakin gave up and quickly turned aside. He decided to take a short cut._

_The probability of reaching the docking port before her was practically nil, but he pressed on, begging the force to be merciful._

_It was only moments later that the docking port came into view with the sleek elegant silver Nubian skiff perched upon it. Still so far away, he could just make out Padme's speeder parked several feet away from the bird. Fear began to subside and he began to hope that he could stop her, bring her home and avoid disaster. Drawing nearer, he could see her walking toward the extended ramp of the ship. Anakin quickly docked his ship at the edge of the docking port. Midway up the ramp, Padme caught sight of his ship and paused as her pilots, her security officer and her assistant moved passed and boarded._

_Anakin raised the cockpit dome and hoisted his legs over the side of the ship. Moving toward her, he called out, "Padme, don't get on that ship!"_

_Padme cast hurt brown eyes upon him, causing his heart to clench. He could sense that she was fighting her emotions, willing her tears from blurring her vision. He could feel the pain his words inflicted. In that instant, Anakin realized that it would take more than an apology to make up for what he said. He could see how deeply his words hurt. Their eyes locked for only seconds, before she was reminded by one of the crew of the time for takeoff. Strangely he sensed that she was hesitating, conflicted between dealing with their marital issues and her duty._

_"Please" Anakin pleaded, slowly shaking his head._

_After a few more seconds and without uttering a word, Padme turned away and continued onto the ship. It was an unexpected move. It seemed as if she would turn back and give him a moment. Padme had always been open to communication. She never allowed silence a place between them. But this was not like her. For the first time, she actually turned her back on him. Did his stinging words hold truth? Was it made painfully clear that her actions were affecting her family? Was it shame in herself that caused her to turn her back? Or her disgust of him? Fear suddenly enveloping him, Anakin began running toward the ship as the entryway began to shrink. _

* * *

The red light on the holotransmitter blinked incessantly and emitted a simple tri-tone. Snapping out of the unwelcomed memory, Anakin glanced at it from the droid innards spread out across the workbench. He had been working undauntedly for several days in his workshop, which was located across from Padme's office. The workshop was a stark contrast to every other room and area in the apartment. It was the one place that was truly his own. It was a large room with high ceilings and tall windows offering a lateral perspective of the verandah and the cityscape. There were various tools hanging from the textured walls, commonly used pieces and parts were stacked up on shelves along another wall. There were welding equipment, consoles for calibration and research, datapads for schematic checks, holoviewers and scanners, everything he would or could need to repair or investigate anything mechanical. The holotransmitter rang again.

With Obi-wan working with Artoo's scans of the ship, Anakin was free to focus on the droid remains. Barely eating or sleeping, he spent the better part of the last two weeks taking apart what was left of the droid and examining every minute bit and piece. The investigation was beginning to unfold leaving several questions unanswered.

Who wanted Padme dead? Was it the Neimoidians? Why did they kill her? Why was the freighter moving so unusually fast? Why did it veer away from impacting anything until Padme's ship came into its path? Where did the pilot come from? Was he part of it?

Anakin hoped to find some of these answers in the droid laid before him. Finally the holotransmitter stopped ringing.

He sighed and looked over at the droids schematics he was able to pull up on the datapad. It was the third time he was looking through it to find some alteration, a clue that something may have been altered. The code was beginning to dance before his eyes. He was getting annoyed and the headache was coming back. Sitting back in his chair, he threw the stylus down on the table and squeezed the bridge of his nose. He needed a drink…he wanted it so much it was hard to concentrate.

Anakin stood from his seat and walked over to the window on his left. Looking out he could see a lateral view of the neighboring buildings nearby and those far off into the distance. It had been alittle more than two weeks since his last drink. Quitting had proven to be more difficult than he thought. Anakin used meditation when the urge was at its greatest, but it was barely enough.

He had gained the clarity he needed to do the task before him, but it was the withdrawal that was debilitating at times. Drinking dulled the pain of her loss while he was conscious and often times allowed him to be with her again while he was passed out. Anakin realized how much drinking held him back in conducting the investigation and how much he needed to be in full control and coherent for whatever Padme believed to be coming down the pike. Still, the urge was there and ever present. The need started to mount. He wanted more than anything to feel the soothing elixir fill his mouth, slide down his throat and warm his belly. He wanted so much to feel it disorient his equilibrium, and dull his senses. The unsolicited memories were always intrusive and sudden and were always accompanied by the burden and pain of his guilt. He wanted to ignore the pain that crept up every now and then and completely disconnect from reality.

And so, Anakin started to reason with himself, in an attempt to justify indulging the urge. He considered cutting back on how much he drank. Perhaps, drinking at a bar instead of at home…this way the bartender and help him adhere to a limit and a frequency of visits. Maybe, he could program Threepio to pick up a certain amount of bottles a week. He considered maybe a bottle a day. He considered all kinds of ways he could keep liquor in his life and maintain the quality of the investigation. But deep down he knew this was impossible. And so continued the battle between his urge and his will power.

The holotransmitter sounded again. Anakin looked around and realized that he was already at the door of the workshop with his jacket in hand. While he considered justifications for a relapse, he had subconsciously prepared to leave…likely for the nearest bar. The realization shook him slightly giving him pause, making him realize he wasn't completely in control yet. The battle with his addiction was still ongoing and it was clearly a fight not easily won. The holotransmitter sounded again.

Anakin realized that it could have been Obi-wan reporting on his findings on the scan. Thankful for the distraction, Anakin tossed his jacket back on the nail in the wall and headed back to his seat to activate the holotransmitter.

A bluish white image of Padme's father materialized before him. Wise old eyes brightened at seeing Anakin. "Greetings, Anakin." Ruwee smiled.

"Ruwee, It's good to see you again."

"Same here, son." He smiled warmly. Ruwee always thought of Anakin as a son. Since the loss of his daughter, they had grown closer. "How have you been?"

"I'm managing, sir." Anakin attempting a reassuring smirk.

Ruwee wasn't convinced, but he continued, "And the investigation?"

"Ongoing." Anakin responded with a sigh, glancing at the droid parts. "How are Luke and Leia?"

Ruwee smiled wide, sitting in his easy chair. "They are doing very well. They have been busy making the most of their hiatus, spending time by the water in the lake country, visiting relatives and going into town with us. They have been practicing their lessons daily. I must say they are quite good."

"I am not surprised." Anakin dropped his gaze. The thought of his children's enjoying themselves despite the horrific loss of their mother, brought a warm feeling that felt foreign to him.

"Jobal has just received an invitation from the queen inviting the children for a tour and lunch. Leia is so excited, she hasn't stopped talking about it. The timing couldn't have been more suitable. They are scheduled to meet the queen next week, a few days before they return to Coruscant. It's usually impossible to reschedule these things."

"So when will the children return to Coruscant?" Anakin leaned forward in his seat. His anxiety was beginning to rise.

"We thought we'd bring them back a week before term resumes. It would give you three a chance to bond. Is there something wrong, Anakin?"

Anakin hesitated. Not wanting the alarm him nor keeping him ignorant of a possible dangerous situation, he had to figure out a way to postpone their return.

"I-it's going to be hard for me to find the time for them. I'm up to my eyeballs in the case. I think it might be better if they stayed with you and Jobal until term begins."

"Anakin, that doesn't leave room for you to spend time with them. Do you realize how this is going to look? It's going to affect the children. Luke and Leia will not understand."

"I know…and I wish I could be with them, Ruwee. I honestly do. But there are reasons why I cannot."

His voice was laced with disappointment. "Then please…enlighten me."

Anakin choose his words carefully. "I don't want them exposed to this investigation." He made sure he put it in a way Ruwee would understand there could be a danger. "I need them to stay far away from this as possible." Instantly Anakin caught himself. These were the exact words Padme said to him the day they argued.

"Anakin, what's going on that you're not telling me."

He didn't want to make the same mistake Padme did by keeping things to himself. "Ruwee, this investigation appears to be more involved than previously believed."

"What does that mean?" He said with narrowed eyes.

"I can't say anymore than that, Ruwee. I need time to collect more data before I say exactly what."

There was a moment of silence before the older man spoke. He cast his eyes downward considering what Anakin was implying. Raising his eyes to meet him, he nodded slowly. "I-I'm sure you will do your best to get to the bottom of this, Anakin. You have always disagreed with the local security force findings…and so have I."

Anakin nodded.

Ruwee was guarded. "Is there a need to fear for their safety?" It seemed he was holding his breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Sensing his rising trepidation, Anakin shook his head. "Not that I know of. They are in the best place right now. When they return to Coruscant they will stay at the temple. I have already arranged it."

"Very well then." Ruwee cleared his throat. "The children will not return until the day before term resumes. But Anakin, nothing should keep a father from his child. Luke and Leia have overcome the difficulty and pain of losing one parent. Do not make them go through this again."

"I won't. I promise." Anakin suddenly remembered the moments when he'd stand on the edge of the verandah, wanting to make his nightly alcohol induced meetings with Padme permanent.

"The 1st anniversary of Padme's passing is only days away. You should not spend it alone."

Anakin didn't realize that so much time had passed since her death. He remembered their tears when they discovered their mother was gone. Just above a whisper, Anakin answered solemnly, "I know."

"Good." The old man offered a smile. "Now if I am not mistaken…I believe there is someone here who would like to speak with you."

Anakin held his breath. It had been so long since he last heard their voices.

_Would they even remember me? Are they upset about my absence? Do they know I love them?_

An image of his daughter appeared on the screen. She had grown since he last saw her and she was the image of her mother. She smiled and said, "Daddy?"

Anakin blinked away the tears that had already threatened to blur his vision. He smiled. It was first time he did so in many months. "Leia, how are you sweetheart?"

"I'm fine daddy." Her bright brown eyes seemed to explore his face. He could sense her happiness and the brightest of hope and innocence in her heart.

Another small voice was heard before the image was seen. "Daddy?"

"Luke? Is that you?"

Leia reached out of the view of the holotransmitter and gently pulled another hand, then an arm and then a body of a little boy into view. His hair was slightly longer this time and he too had grown taller since the last time Anakin saw him. They were five years old now and taking in the sight of his two children, Anakin realized how much he was missing out. Though he believed the distance between them was necessary to protect them from his failures, he found it was impossible considering a danger may be looming ever closer to them.

"How have you been buddy?" Anakin asked with another rare smile.

"Okay." Luke smiled back.

"I've missed you both so very much." Anakin tried to keep his voice from shaking.

Leia responded first. "I miss you too."

Luke added, "me too, Daddy."

Leia 's eyes seemed to bore into her father's image. "When are we going to see you?"

"Soon." Anakin nodded. "I promise."

TBC...


	8. Eight

**Eight **

The hours spent toiling away in his workshop and fighting urges to drink threw his internal clock off track. The days seemed to meld together into one long endless procession. Dusk and dawn routinely passed unnoticed. Neither the time nor the current date was kept in check. He utilized every available resource to dissect and recover any useful viable data. Anakin barely ate or slept. He meditated when the withdrawal symptoms interrupted his concentration. He was tired mentally and physically…but rest was of no avail. At Obi-wan's repeated requests, he attempted to sleep, but it didn't give him much more than a few hours at best.

Anakin sat up and turned out of the couch in Padme's office. His bare feet made contact with the cool floor as he glanced at the chrono. It was 0200. His two metallic fingers squeezed the bridge of his nose as the familiar headache and pang of nausea began to set in. Beads of sweat populated his bare chest, back and arms. He could feel himself trembling slightly. It was as if he was in the middle of a battle between winter's chill and Summer's warmth. Anakin knew what this conflict was. The withdrawals were coming back. He stood up and walked out to the kitchen for a glass of…water.

He wanted a drink and there wasn't a drop in the house. The urge had intensified almost as if someone were turning a dial to escalate the want to a need. As Anakin reluctantly swallowed the water, he started to give in, damning the order he'd given Threepio to remove every bottle. Putting down the nearly empty glass of water, he frowned. He walked out to the sitting area and looked across the room towards the verandah. Happier were the days when he would sit with Padme in the very same room guessing the sexes of their unborn children. He remembered surprising her on the verandah when he returned from his tour of duty. He remembered standing at the very edge of it, overwhelmed with reality, wanting to let go and meet Coruscant's surface.

Anakin recalled their last wedding anniversary, a month before she died. It was to be a night she'd never forget. He remembered decorating the bedroom with the petals of her favorite flowers, lighting candles about the room, setting up her favorite food and preparing a tray of desserts with her favorite Nubian wine. He planned to dance with Padme, make her smile and cherish her all night long. But it never happened. She had completely forgotten about the occasion. Angry, Anakin blew out every candle removed all the food and tossed out the petals. Padme had returned home hours after midnight, emphatically apologizing to him. He remembered yelling at her and ignoring her sentiments. Standing now in the sitting room, Anakin wished to have that night back. He would have forgiven her and made the best of the time they had left. But it was too late for any of that and time would never be so forgiving.

And in that moment, he remembered the wine bottle was never removed from the room. He remembered purposely leaving the unopened bottle as a reminder that her work had a higher priority than her marriage.

Anakin warily looked at the steps leading to bedroom and bit his bottom lip. He hadn't gone up there since she died and Threepio knew this. Although Anakin had him remove every bottle, including from the usual hiding places, Threepio would have never bothered to go upstairs. In the bedroom once shared with her, the pain of her death was more intense. It was the last place he touched her. It was where they argued and said things that couldn't be taken back. It was where he hurt her. It was where his guilt began.

His eyes desperately searched the floor as he made a last ditch effort to fight off what was now a great need. He could feel his legs moving, but was preoccupied with dealing with the intensity of this urge that he did not register where. He wanted it so bad and that wine bottle was within his grasp. If only he knew exactly where it was, he could use the force to call it to him. He could drink and satisfy the urge just this one time. It was just to help taper off the urges when they get so strong. By the time the sun came up, Obi-wan would arrive to continue work and everything would be fine. He would be none the wiser.

JUSTIFICATION GRANTED.

Anakin looked up and realized he was already standing at the foot of the stairs. It was so close. He need only climb the stairs and take it from the room. And so, he warily began his ascent.

_I'm sorry, Padme. I have to do this. Please understand._

Ignoring the new seedlings of shame, he focused only on the bottle, knowing he'd be able to focus on work once the first few gulps were swallowed. He licked his lips as he slowly approached the middle of the stairs.

But just ahead, at the top of the stairs, he saw something that gave him pause. He could hear the rustling of a gown and the whirring of Threepio's gears. The shape was coming toward him quickly and gaining more clarity as grew near. It was Padme in tears storming down the stairs with Threepio behind. He could see the hurt in her face again. The tears streamed along her cheeks. He could hear Dorme at the bottom of the stairs below asking what was wrong. He looked over his shoulder and saw her speeder docked on the verandah, waiting to take her to her ship. Anakin could even see the jappor snippet that hung around her neck jostling back and forth as she made her way down. It was a vision that had taken him back in time to unobtrusively see what he never saw. Padme stopped on the step beside him and turned to look back up. It was only a few seconds, but it was enough to hear her say, "I'm sorry."

She turned again and continued down the stairs. The vision faded as Dorme's voice could be heard asking what was wrong.

His heart contracted as he looked painfully at the top of the stairs. He held the snippet that hung around his neck and looked at it. It was smaller than it used to be, shriveled, blackened by ravaging unquenchable flames and bereft of the assimilated scent of Padme's body. The snippet was a shadow of its former self. Realizing he shared the same qualities, he found frustration and disappointment in the well of his heart. Padme wanted him to overcome this. The kids needed him as much as she did. He needed be strong again and astounded himself at how deep his grief flowed.

Anakin cursed the bottle for being up there. He cursed his addiction. He cursed himself for not stopping her sooner. He wanted her in his arms more than anything else. He would turn his back on alcohol for all time if it meant he could have Padme back. But that could never be so. Her place was in the netherworld of the force. And just then the words of an old friend sauntered from the back of his mind…

_"I have heard of such skills: use of the force to enhance premonitions…the ability to effect life and death, skills so powerful it could even be used to extract the specters of the departed, restoring them body and soul…Everything has a darkside. The ability to handle appropriate portions of both would take someone of great skill and ability. It would mean controlling the force, not it controlling you."_

And Anakin began to give Palpatine's concept more weight. They wouldn't have to be separated by death anymore or ever again. Suddenly it made sense. But to achieve this, he knew he had to be strong, body and mind. He had to battle through the withdrawal symptoms and the need to drink. Alcohol had become his coping mechanism, a way to soothe the grief and pacify the guilt. And now it had become his handicap. He understood this the day he decided to give it up. He promised her he would. He closed his hand around the snippet more intent than ever to keep his promise.

For now, the urge remained an issue and the only way he knew to cope with it was through meditation.

The sun had begun its descent by the time Obi-wan entered the apartment. He warily kept an eye out for signs of a relapse and silently prayed that he wouldn't find any. It was a practice performed each and every time he returned to the apartment. But over the last few weeks, he noticed a change in Anakin. Anakin seemed more like the knight that fought beside him than the grieving mass that used to be confined to the apartment walls. Obi-wan had hoped that this altered state would be more than just an adjustment to meet the requirements of conducting an investigation. As he passed through the sitting room, he wondered if something else would replace drinking as the coping mechanism. Obi-wan shuttered under the thought and immediately pushed it from his mind.

Obi-wan had spent part of the morning informing the council of the developments in the investigation.  
CSF's investigation was closely followed by many in the Senate and by the council. Distracted by the ongoing war, the council members fell in line with most on the Senate and accepted Lieutenant Tan Divo's ruling and that of his agreeing superiors. Despite Anakin's insistence for a new investigation, the council refused. They believed Padme's death tragic but accidental. Obi-wan believed this to be the catalyst that began Anakin's divergence from the order. In hopes of keeping Anakin from giving into despair, he offered his assistance and was startled to discover that Anakin's belief of murder now had more credibility that previously thought.

Obi-wan entered the workshop and removed his robe. The workbench was completely covered with droid parts and various other pieces of equipment. Artoo was stationed in front of the workbench soldering together a few circuits on a card. Anakin appeared as if he never moved from his place since the day before. Moving closer to the work on the bench, it seemed Anakin had completely removed the main circuit board from the droid and was working with one of the large chips. It was blackened on one end and warp on the other.

"Any progress?" Obi-wan placed his robe on a nearby chair and stood beside Artoo.

Anakin grumbled in his throat and slowly shook his head. "You were right about the transmission activity logs. The data was too corrupted to extract anything."

He nodded. "That was a long shot. But I am certain something will turn up with this droid."

Without looking up, Anakin asked, "Artoo, you done with that card?"

The astromech droid whistle an affirmative and with one of his mechanical arms, extended the piece towards Anakin.

"Thanks." He reached over, took the card and inserted it into a socket connected to a holoprojector. A prism of light issued from an interactive holoscreen, displaying countless lines of orange text that appeared between the two men.

Obi-wan asked with narrow eyes, "What's this?"

As cerulean eyes scanned the code, the corners of Anakin's mouth turned up briefly before returning to its expressionless state. Days of endless repair, workarounds and sleeplessness was starting to pay off.  
Anakin raised a gloved finger in the air and repeatedly flicked the holoscreen, rapidly issuing the listing upwards.

"These are system files from the droid's memory drive. I need to find which one holds the schematics for the primary directive..." As he quickly sifted through the lines, he asked, "How about you? Anything come up with the scans?"

"Yes." Obi-wan sat in the nearby chair. "It seems I have come across a discrepancy."

Anakin raised his hand again and tapped the upper right corner of the holoscreen, minimizing it. Listening intently, his eyes hardened slightly as they focused directly on Obi-wan. He had his full attention.

Obi-wan continued, "The freight company submitted compliance documentation as decreed by Coruscant's regulatory agencies that states all active ships periodically received a full diagnostic and any necessary maintenance. According to their logs, our freighter was overlooked in the last diagnostic before the collision. The discrepancy is that Artoo's scans of the ship show a crushed ramp modulator that was most likely installed at least six weeks before it was totaled."

"What makes you think it had to be installed six weeks before?" Anakin's eyes narrowed.

"The list of tech refresh installments in the last diagnostics included this modulator. The entire fleet has this piece installed. It was released for retail by the manufacturer four weeks before the tech refresh."

Leaning back in his chair, Anakin folded his arms and considered the information carefully. Thinking aloud, he added another point to consider. "Typically ships undergoing diagnostics usually would have every parameter and functionality tested. If there were any issues found, especially with navigational controls, brakes or the engine, it would have been detected and the ship would have been taken out of service until repairs are complete."

It wasn't spoken aloud but the suspicion was now circling the freight company and the reason why a perfectly functioning ship would be made to look quite the opposite.

"Could someone have failed to document this?" Obi-wan asked rubbing his beard.

"It's always possible, but I doubt it." Anakin shrugged his brow and sighed.

Sensing the change in Anakin's demeanor, Obi-wan reasoned. "Then let's not rule out negligence or oversight just yet. This is simply cause for closer examination. It's nothing concrete yet."

"We'll see about that." Anakin sat up and went back to work. He maximized the programming dialogue screen again and began scrolling and scanning through it.

"I didn't think you could be able to access the droid's memory drive."

"I didn't think so either. Until I remembered a droid I repaired with a similar problem years ago in Watto's shop."

"How did you manage that? I thought this droid's memory would be irretrievable like the transmission logs."

"It wasn't easy to say the least. I took me days." Anakin sifted through the non-descript files. "Some of it is gone. But bits of the data are still there. I had to reconstruct the allocation table based on fragmented pieces of the original. I re-mapped the data and Artoo downloaded it to a more stable drive."

Not completely understanding what Anakin had just said, Obi-wan simply responded, "Oh."

Anakin double tapped a directory, opening a single file name. He double tapped again and suddenly the orange text had become blue lines of characters that pronounced some kind of code. It was the language of machines.

"This is it," He glanced through the lines of code at Obi-wan.

"What?"

"The script giving this droid its primary directive. There are typically around two thousand lines of code in a droid's primary directive script. But there's much more…almost twice that."

As always Obi-wan had the utmost confidence in Anakin's abilities with machines. However he couldn't help offering a light jab. "Difficult?"

Appreciating the familiar play, a wry expression momentarily appeared on Anakin's face. "Of course not. It's just a matter of sorting and scanning through it...know what to look for." He glanced up at Obi-wan between the blue lines. "But it may take awhile."

As Anakin began working with through the codes, he asked, "What did the council say?"

"They're intrigued. They admit they've made an error placing confidence in the Coruscant Security Force. The dark side, it seems…" He slowly shook his head. "…is compromising the council's ability in the force."

"I know." Anakin glanced at Obi-wan.

"It only underscores our need to discover the Sith that has remained obscure during this war."

Anakin's gaze dropped momentarily as if Obi-wan words touched a region of guilt. Obi-wan noticed his reaction and wondered if Anakin was feeling remorseful about leaving the order when their need was dire. He continued. "After the session was over, Master Yoda and I had a little chat."

"Oh? What about?"

"You."

"Really." Anakin unenthused response left no room to doubt the presence of sarcasm. Though he couldn't control what others may say, he didn't like being discussed.

"In the past few of weeks you have been looking better than you have in nearly a year." He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. "You seem to have gotten back a little more of yourself." He paused, "What's changed?"

Anakin muttered, "Shaving will do a lot when you haven't done it in a while."

Wagging a hand in disagreement, Obi-wan replied. "It's not just that. Something's different. I can sense it."

"I haven't had a drink." Anakin continued scanning through the lines of code.

"I've noticed. What made you stop?"

Finally making eye contact with his old master, Anakin minimized the holoscreen and leaned back in his chair. He cast eyes downward and took several moments before he spoke, as if he was debating on whether to divulge a secret. Idly nudging a stylus on the table with a gloved finger, he answered. "One night, I was nearly half way down a bottle of Namana when I passed out, I guess. Somehow I found myself in the lake country again. At first I was alone, and then," he looked up and said, "She was there, Obi-wan. I saw her. I touched her. She was as real as you are sitting before me now."

Anakin's voice was bittersweet and his eyes sad.

Understanding, Obi-wan nodded. "Master Yoda has told me things like this were possible. But how is Padme reaching you? She was not force sensitive."

"I can't explain it, Obi-Wan." Anakin shook his head "But this wasn't just some grief induced dream. She was trying to warn me."

"About what? What did she say?"

"Padme said she knows I've been sick and she needs me to be stronger…so that I can help her…so that I can stop the one who hurt us." Anakin's blue eyes hardened yet the fear was still visible. "She told me that it's going to happen again and I need to be stronger to stop him."

Anakin continued. "I know she was talking about the kids."

"Luke and Leia," Obi-wan's eyes widened and he straightened in his seat.

"When they return, they will have quarters at the temple where it's safer. She says he will use me to hurt them and I can't let that happen, Obi-wan. I can't. I need to have a clear mind to find who is behind this." He dropped his gaze, shaking his head, "but it's hard, Obi-Wan. There are times when all I want is a drink and the urge feels stronger than anything." Knowing Obi-wan's next words, Anakin added with a knowing glance, "Meditation is barely helps."

"Have you relapsed?" Obi-wan asked bracing himself.

"No." Anakin shook his head and looked up at him. "Even though I am afraid of failing my children like I did my mother and Padme, doing nothing will not help them. I can't stand by and let this happen again. I won't."

"I am glad this has inspired you to stop drinking and to remain sober. But the question remains…have you begun to forgive yourself?"

Obi-wan's question was unexpected. Anakin faltered, lowering his gaze. He hadn't considered forgiving himself because such a thing seemed virtually impossible. Anakin stood up and walked to the window. His eyes were set on the streets below, watching the citizens move back and forth. The answer to Obi-wan's question remained elusive.

"Until you forgive yourself, Anakin, you will never truly move passed this. Her death, the pain, your guilt and self-doubt will constantly haunt you." Obi-wan stood and walked over to him. "You've let it take control of your life and isolate you from nearly everyone including those who care most." Obi-wan removed a black pouch from his belt. "So I thought it was time this was returned."  
Anakin looked at the item in Obi-wan's hand. Not recognizing the form within, he furled his brow at him and asked, "What is it?"

"Your lightsaber." He answered simply, the corners of this mouth turning up. He removed it from the pouch.

Anakin's gaze fell upon the weapon, as the hilt gleamed in the daylight. Memories of his last days in possession of it filled the forefront of his mind. He remembered spending days and nights drinking and blaming himself for not using it to disable the ship, for not doing something to keep her ship grounded other than telling her not to board. The memory brought back the shame, his true reason for leaving the order…he wasn't worthy of being a knight, of wielding such a weapon. How could he be a protector of peace for an entire galaxy when he couldn't protect his own wife? It was shame that compelled him to lie to everyone including Obi-wan.

Like a child reminded of his failure, Anakin recoiled and turned his gaze toward the cityscape. In a wounded voice, he said, "I resigned from the order, Obi-wan. I'm not the man I used to be."

"No. You are becoming much more."

"Obi-wan," He dropped his gaze and slowly shook his head. "I can't. I-I'm not—"

"I told you once that this weapon was your life." He said recalling one of the many lessons he taught the man before him. "If you want to protect the lives of your children and catch Padme's murderer, you will have to let go of the guilt and self-doubt, and reclaim control of your life."

Anakin turned to face him. "Forgive myself?"

By the pained look on his face it was clear that the concept and the act were two separate efforts, one he deemed difficult and the other impossible.

"Yoda believes you to be more capable than you give yourself credit for. You have carried this burden for far too long. When you are ready to lay it down, it will be here for you to reclaim it." Speaking about more than just the weapon, he extended the hilt toward him.

Anakin hesitated for a brief moment, looking at the weapon. Nodding, he accepted it and said softly, "Thank you, Obi-wan".

TBC…


	9. Nine

**NINE**

The rows of blue code seemed to mock him, blurring before his eyes as he scanned and scrolled through the document. Several hours of diligence had passed since he began working through the algorithms and the only thing he had to show for his effort were eyelids that were steadily getting heavier. He sleepily looked over at Obi-wan who was auditing the freight company's records. Taking a deep breath, Anakin blinked and widened his eyes in an attempt to fight off what was going to be a losing battle with fatigue. Frustration began to set in as no anomalies could yet be found. He began to doubt if he was on the right track. Anakin's head bobbed a few times before he rested his cheek in the palm of his hand and before he realized it, he was out…

**He opened his eyes again to a sight that had no logic, rhyme or reason. Anakin found himself standing in the midst of a dense fog. He shut his eyes tight and opened them again, but to no avail. It was clear that he had strayed into slumber. However this was not like the nightly dreams he typically had of Padme. Something was different and unsettling. In another time, instinct would have him on his guard with lightsaber in hand. Though the new-found locale seemed foreign, he sensed a familiar presence approach seemingly from all sides. He furled his brow unable to decipher where he was or why he was there…or who was drawing near. Anakin felt a something gently graze his cheek. He turned toward it and saw nothing. ******

**He suddenly heard a sound, like a whisper, echoing through the fog. ******

**'Anakin' ******

**His heart stopped immediately. He'd know her voice anywhere. It was Padme. She had come to him again. He tried to move through the fog, desperate to find his departed wife. ******

**"Padme?" ******

**Though he could sense her presence, it was too indistinct and inconsistent to pin her to an exact spot. This was nothing like the dreams he'd had of her and the more he thought about it, the quicker he realized that this wasn't a dream at all. It was a vision. ******

**Frustrated, he looked around again, "Where are you?" ******

**Padme's voice sounded again. "Ani…" ******

**At that moment the fog began to thin and recede toward the floor, revealing before him a window with a view of Coruscant's financial district. The lights of each office in the sky scraping structures mimicked the stars above, shining ever brighter as the sun had long retreated beyond the horizon. He had seen this view before, but could not remember where. ******

**As Anakin tapped his memory for the answer, he started to hear muffled words behind him. It was a conversation between two men…and a woman. He turned around and saw he was standing in the sitting area of a large office. The fog had lowered enough to make out the silhouette of someone sitting on a couch. As the fog continued to thin, he realized it was Padme. She was listening intently to an unfamiliar voice that droned on at length about something Anakin was too distracted to care about. ******

**With two long strides, he closed the space between them and knelt at her side. Her eyes were cast downward where the carpeted floor met the hem of her gown. She slowly shook her head. ******

**"Padme, what's going on?" ******

**She didn't respond. Not a word. Not a glance. Not a single indication that she knew he was beside her. Wearing shades of green and brown, her sadness was contrasted by her beauty. Her brown tendrils was pulled away from her face and layered atop her head, pinned in place by shimmering stones that dotted her hair. ******

**With a furled brow, Anakin tried again, "Padme?" ******

**He moved to stroke her cheek with the back of his hand, but paused when she finally raised her head to speak. ******

**"I can't believe what I am hearing." She didn't bother to disguise the disillusionment in her voice. Padme stood up and walked around her chair. Her voluminous gown hid her movement, making it appear as if she was floating. She continued, "He was senator when I was queen. I elected him. I supported him. I believed him. During the occupation, I listened while he talked about how corrupt the bureaucracy was..." She looked over to her right, seemingly at another person. "He used me to remove Valorum, clearing the way for him to become chancellor." ******

**In that moment Anakin realized this must have been the beginning of the animosity she held for Palpatine. He never knew when or why her distaste for Palpatine began, but somehow from beyond the wall separating the dead from the living, Padme was sharing a memory with him solving that mystery. ******

**He stood and followed her gaze to see Bail Organa seated in a nearby chair and instantly remembered this was his office. The Alderaanian senator steepled his fingers as he listened to Padme's lament. Something twinkled on his finger, catching Anakin's eye. He moved closer and saw a dark square shaped jewel, surrounded by small white stones. It matched the description of the ring that Bregor saw. ******

**So it wasn't Palpatine who saved the ships from being destroyed. Obi-wan was right… How did Organa know that the case was going to be re-opened? Why didn't come to me when he did this? ******

**"Do not waste your energy berating yourself for what happened. You were manipulated just like the rest of us. None of us would have believed him capable of such things back then. Guilt will not serve you." Bail looked across the coffee table at the third person in the room and said, "The timing of the trade occupation couldn't have been better. It seems it aided him in getting the chancellorship." ******

**"You might be closer to the truth than you realize." The unfamiliar voice spoke. Though the fog had completely recessed to the floor, Anakin could not make out the person seating in a chair. Anakin narrowed his eyes and moved closer but couldn't gain clarity. He glanced over his shoulder at Bail and Padme who were both looking at this person. It was clear that they could see him though he could not. ******

**"Keets…" Padme moved closer to the blurry image. "Are you saying you think he orchestrated the trade occupation?" Padme asked with a furled brow. ******

**"No." The man named Keets continued with a mirthless chuckle. "But I wouldn't put that past him. I'm simply acknowledging how deceptive he is. The man specializes in making himself seem benevolent and sincere…when he is a manipulative and calculating opportunist…" He stood and slowly started to pace, "Valorum's death was intentional. The moment he started watching Palpatine, he was marked. He knew it and so did I. We both understood that it was just a matter of time before an attempt on our lives was made. I promise you, Padme, and I am sure Bail will agree Palpatine had a hand in Valorum's death somehow." He turned suddenly to face them both. "But a word of caution…However you choose to proceed from this moment on, extreme care must be taken. If you decide to pursue this, it can and will become dangerous. After Valorum was killed I had to severe all connections with him and lay low for a while. You both have families and if you choose to proceed, you must do whatever necessary to keep them safe. They must not know about this. As for the chancellor, keep a professional distance at all times." ******

**"The petition had no effect on his position or this war." Padme stated. "The only thing this war has accomplished is gathering more power for Palpatine." ******

**"That's what it's always been about and he will not lay down these powers. Emergency powers are never released." Keets added. "If things keep going the way they are now, he will have mustered enough power to declare himself an absolute ruler." ******

**Bail sighed standing. "Then I say we do what must be done." ******

**"I agree." Padme nodded. ******

**"Very well then." Keets moved closer. "In the hopes of keeping our actions discreet and identities secure, communication with me must be one way. I will initiate contact and we must always meet in person to avoid security breaches. We can never meet in the same place twice. Meeting off-world will likely be better." ******

**"Off-world…why?" Padme asked with concern in her voice. ******

**"It's harder to be followed. Besides you guys belong to many of the same committees and go on diplomatic missions all the time. Coming up with a guise to meet with me should be a piece of Mandalorian pie." ******

**"That would be fine." Bail agreed with the terms. ******

**Padme nodded hesitantly. Fog instantly rose, filling the room, and Anakin suddenly felt the sensation that he was being pulled away.**_**  
**_  
Anakin jumped out his sleep with a start, lifting his head off the surface of the workbench. The blue lines of code were blaring at him, a sign that he had returned to reality. However he could not deny the overwhelming guilt that the vision left him with. The sudden movement prompted Obi-wan to look at him over his shoulder.

"Bad dream?"

"I just—" Anakin blinked several times and looked around. The guilt and the grief hit him as if he was doused with cold water. He remembered all those nights she was off-world, and all the arguments when he knew she was keeping something from him. Anakin realized that she was caught in a position that compromised her integrity as a wife and as a mother.

_She had no choice._ He thought to himself, answering a year old question about why she wouldn't or couldn't come to him. Glancing up at Obi-wan, he realized now wasn't the time to spend thinking about the vision. More time would be needed to process the vision and fully grasp Padme's intention. For now, he pushed it to the back of his mind and focused on the prime directive. "It's nothing. I-I must have dozed off."

"I'm not surprised. You barely stop for more than 15 minutes."

"Threepio!" Anakin called out.

The droid's whirring gears could be heard before he appeared in the workshop doorway. "Yes, Master Anakin."

"Could you get me a drink of water?"

"Of course, sir." The droid disappeared down the hall.

Anakin went back to scanning through the code. Avoiding Obi-wan's possible next question about his dream, he immediately changed the subject. "Did you find anything on the freight company?"

"Yes, more than I expected" he turned around to face Anakin. "The owners are brothers, Drego, Fredro and Maeto Spek. Fredro handles operations, Maeto – ships and droids, and Drego oversees personnel. The company has been in existence for the last 40 years without a blemish. In fact, they are second generation owners. They took over management from their father 15 years ago, and developed it."

Anakin scratched his chin. "Strange…Why would a well-established freight company with such a clean record and reputation suddenly look so shady?"

"I think Mato might shed light on the answer to that." Obi-wan looked up from his datapad. "We should start with him."

"Why him?"

"Even though the Drego and Fredro brothers have clean records, Mato however seems to have developed a gambling problem and has caused the company some financial issues. I'll see what else I can dig up."

As Obi-wan turned around to continue researching, Anakin asked, "Isn't there a regulation barring droids from piloting cargo freighters?"

"Yes. They are only supposed to be piloting the delivery freighters." Obi-wan answered without turning. "Did you find the primary directive?"

"I'm getting very close." Anakin spoke slowly. "Judging from what I'm reading, this navigator droid was given piloting algorithms."

There was a moment of silence before Anakin spoke again. "Looks like The Spek freight company has a lot of explaining to do."

Obi-wan turned to face him, "You found the code?"

"More like a smoking gun." Anakin straightened in his chair as he slowly scrolled up the screen. "A subroutine, hidden among the primary directives. I haven't seen anything like this since the outer rim sieges."

Obi-wan stood up and moved closer to the holoscreen.

"Do you remember the biserker droids?" He continued after Obi-wan nodded, "Those droids had hidden subroutines in their programming, which was implemented via virus. It's sort of like a Jedi mind trick except for droids. It made them deviate from the primary directive and execute the subroutine when a trigger was detected."

"A trigger?"

"A trigger could be a spoken word, a sound, a date and time to initiate, an object, a place…a person. It could be any one thing or a combination of things." Anakin could feel that he was close a very big break in the case. His heart seemed to tremble as he went on. "However this is a little more sophisticated. Whoever wrote this code, had to personally install this on site, it's too big to do this virtually while ensuring that no new programming could override it or remove it. And from what I can see, this droid was programmed to self destruct once the subroutine was executed." He spoke as he continued closely reading the subroutine. "Now why would a freighter droid need a subroutine like-" Anakin stopped and began reading frantically as if captivated. He is cerulean eyes dodged back and forth as he quickly read through the lines.

Obi-wan watched as Anakin's demeanor suddenly morphed into devastation. The air in the room seemed to thicken. "I knew it." He whispered softly.

A string of huttese curses flew from Anakin's lips as they thinned into straight line. He stood up suddenly, knocking his chair back.

"I KNEW IT!" He began angrily pacing back and forth. With flaring nostrils, his eyes never left the incriminating code on the holoscreen.

"What is it? What did you find?"

Anakin stopped pacing, put a hand on his waist and ran another through his tawny locks. Anakin shut his eyes tight and took several deep breaths to calm himself down. He turned away from the code and Obi-wan and faced the window to see the lateral view of the verandah. He could almost see Padme running out to climbing into her speeder on the way to the ship. It was difficult, but he managed to force out an explanation to his old master.

His voice cracked with anger. "The subroutine contains an assassin's algorithm. It includes detailed criteria of a ship matching Padme's. It has the date and time of impact." Anakin rested his hands against either side of the window frame and lowered his head. "Her ship was the trigger."

"Her ship…was the trigger." He repeated more to himself than aloud. Anakin paused and continued explaining, "The droid was programmed to pilot the ship to the designated exchange port and wait briefly…"

"To support Spek's claim that it missed its exchange with the delivery freighter, prompting the pilot to make the delivery himself." Obi-wan correctly surmised.

Anakin continued reciting the subroutine, "After a few minutes it was to leave and head for her docking port, take the westbound lanes, exit, initiate navigational and brake power failure simulation." His voice cracked again. "On sight of the trigger, accelerate, impact, destroy and self –destruct if processes are still functioning."

Anakin turned around to face him. There were no tears or sorrow present. His eyes were hard and burning with an intensity he hadn't felt since the day she was taken from him. "I don't care what you say Obi-wan…I'm going to that freight company now."

Obi-wan knew better than to object or stop Anakin. It was a blatantly logical next step, but it had to be done right. If Anakin had to do this, he was going to need someone who could help him stop himself. "I'll go with you."

TBC...

Thank you guys for hanging in there with me.

RRR!


	10. Ten

**TEN**

Anakin and Obi-wan walked into the freight company hangar, where several cargo freighters were perched in two rows of six to their left. They ranged from newer to older models and all were being serviced by many droids. Behind those cargo freighters were another three rows of seven delivery freighters. At the far right was a large door that by the looks of the control panel beside it, was magnetically sealed. Above it was a sign that read 'Droid maintenance department'.

They passed through the hangar relatively unseen as their eyes scanned the facility in search of their prime suspect. It appeared that no one would _address_ their presence, until a WA-7 droid rolled up with a clipboard in hand. Its bright orbs shifted from Anakin to Obi-wan in regular intervals.

A pleasant sound emanated from the voice slot. "Welcome to Spek Freighters, Inc. Please, state your name and business."

Undeterred, Anakin continued walking, turning his head left and right, searching the hangar for the main office. Giving the droid only what was asked for he answered quite apathetically, "Anakin Skywalker. Obi-wan Kenobi." Glancing over his shoulder at the droid, he added, "The destroyed Spek freighter."

The droid continued as it accelerated to keep up, "Sirs, you may not go any further without authorization from the Director himself."

Obi-wan stopped and said, "Who is the director?"

"Why Maeto Spek, of course?"

"Where is his office?" Obi-wan threw another question out.

"It's just there." The droid pointed toward a loft that had a view of all activity in the hangar. A metal staircase that offered the only access from inside the hangar also provided a landing that was little more than a surveyor's balcony. Obi-wan could imagine Maeto coming out of his office to stand on the balcony, barking orders at the droids and instructing his staff of pilots and crew members of their duties.

"Is he here, now?" Anakin turned to face the droid.

"Yes. He comes in most evenings and works until dawn."

"Good." Anakin grounded out. They both turned from the droid and continued walking through the hangar.

"But you must wai—"

As Anakin's strides grew longer, the droid accelerated and attempted to block their way to the stairs. In response, he simply waved a hand and the droid immediately deactivated and went limp.

They ascended the steps and moved along the short balcony, and entered the office.

The office was a midpoint between order and chaos. There were many parts, pipes, droid pieces and tools in various places of the room. The office had panoramic views of the entire facility and even had a back door to the facility yard. The only points of light emanated from one recessed into the ceiling by the door way and a small lamp on a desk that was covered with datapads and chips. On the other side of the desk were two poorly made chairs, likely meant to discourage prolonged visits. There were dirty oil smudged rags haphazardly tossed over one of them. It looked like a combination of Padme's office and Anakin's workshop. Just behind the cluttered desk sat Maeto Spek. He had dark hair speckled with gray strands here and there. He didn't bother to look up and address the two that entered his office. With a cyberette hanging dutifully from between his lips, he continued working on his console, manipulating the data with his stylus and signing off on policies and procedures.

Anakin could only glare at Maeto. He could imagine himself knocking the cyberette from his mouth and mopping the floor with that sack of bantha poodoo.

From the corner of his eye, Obi-wan could see that Anakin was ready to pounce. A part of him felt Anakin's presence would be a bad idea, but there was no denying him his need to follow this lead. Obi-wan could only hope that Anakin would follow his lead.

Maeto's shoulder rose and slowly fell as he uttered a long irritated sigh, allowing the air passing through his nostrils. "You'd better be in here to discuss something other than the pay schedule change. I told you already my hands are tied." The cyberette bounced on his lips as he spoke.

Anakin opened his mouth to speak, but was stopped by Obi-wan's initiative.

"Actually _we_ are here to discuss something entirely different." His refined voice prompted Maeto's head to rise. "We have a few questions for you to answer."

Immediately assuming it was regarding business, he dismissed them and returned his gaze to his console. "Whatever questions you have should be directed to my brother Fredro. He deals with operational issues."

"No. This has everything to do with one of your ships, one of your droids, and the day a senator was killed." Obi-wan causally made himself comfortable in one of the chairs across from Maeto. "And since these questions reside in your area of expertise, I believe you are the one who can answer them best."

Maeto's stylus paused momentarily as the subject matter seemed to have brought a chill down his spine. The stylus continued moving vigorously across a screen."Then whatever questions you have, you will find the answers with the CSF. I have told them and gave them everything. I don't have any more information."

"You'll change your mind once you hear the new evidence that has been discovered."

Annoyed, Maeto tossed his stylus on the desk and leaned back in his chair. As the embers of his cyberette glowed, he looked keenly at Obi-wan and Anakin, studying them both. He smirked as he seized it from his lips with two fingers and blew out a shaft of smoke. "You two are Jedi. I recognize your faces. Yeah," He nodded at Obi-wan, pointing a hand with a scissor-like grip on the cyberette. "You're Kenobi." He turned towards Anakin and the smirk faded. "And Skywalker…Look, ah…I-I'm sorry for your loss. I can't image what you and your family have been going through."

But Mateo was only met with Anakin's intensified glare. He turned his gaze back to Obi-wan and cleared his throat. "But um-I have nothing to add that could possibly make any difference. Now, if you'll please see your way out, I'd appreciate it."

"We have evidence that proves you were more involved than you originally claimed." Obi-wan stated.

Caught off-guard, Maeto's eyebrows raised, "What?"

"Your droid was reprogrammed to follow a subroutine…an assassin's algorithm to be exact. Who has access to your droids?"

"What the hell are you talking about? My droids were never reprogrammed. If anything my ship missed a diagnostics check and caused a horrendous accident. The company is still recovering from—"

Obi-wan displayed a hologram of the code.

Maeto narrowed his eyes at the blue text suspended above Obi-wan's hand held holoviewer. "What's this?"

"The algorithm extracted from _your_ droid." Anakin finally spoke. "Someone installed a subroutine and it had to be installed locally. Now again, who had access to those droids?"

The line of questioning caused Maeto to stiffen and his office quickly filled with the sound of his voice. The whites of his eyes grew brighter as he yelled. "You two dare to barge into my office, toss out a couple lies and accusations and think you can scare a confession out of me? Do you think I'm some poor sap that would bend over and take it just because you're Jedi? Who do you two think you are? This ridiculous piece of evidence you got is unsubstantiated, inconsequential…Garbage! It means nothing to me."

"This is a code derived directly from the memory bank of your navi-droid who, from the looks of it was programmed to pilot the freighter, destroy the Nubian skiff and self-destruct." Obi-wan's gray eyes hardened.

"That's a serious accusation you're touting. It could get yourselves in a lot of trouble."

Maeto was too angry to realize that the room had grown darker. Using the force, Anakin had lowered the blinds on all the windows. He sensed Maeto would need this situation explained in simpler terms.

Maeto threw his head back and laughed mirthlessly, "You two clowns are wasting your time! Besides, that case has been closed for months!" 

"It's been reopened." Anakin answered back, his voice shaking with a simmering rage that was threatening to break free.

"Has it now?" Maeto nodded his head, growing angry. "Then I've got nothing else to say to you jokers without my attorney present. Now get the hell out of my office before I have you thrown out!"

In a burst of anger, Anakin reached over the desk with both hands, grabbed Maeto by the tunic and yanked him out of his chair. Maeto was helpless and could feel himself being jerked around like a ragdoll. The walls of his office quickly became a blur as he attempted to orient himself. Clarity returned t him once his back slammed against the wall with a thud.

Anakin slowly walked towards him. In a low menacing voice, he said, "Who reprogrammed that droid?"

Maeto cautiously glanced between Anakin and Obi-wan, who remained seated and whose back was now facing him. "What? I-I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Who had access to the droids? Who altered the maintenance records for that freighter to make it look as if it missed a diagnostics check? Who disabled the security holorecorder?" Anakin barreled out the questions faster than Maeto could deflect them. It only made obvious, what they already knew…he was hiding something.

Sidestepping along the wall, Maeto extended his left arm with the palm facing Anakin and pleaded, "Look! I'm sorry about what happened to your woman. But I didn't have anything to do with it! Listen, I-I'm a victim too. After all I lost a ship." His right hand snaked around the wall searching the surface and the surrounding area for anything that may help him in his desperate hour.

Anakin paused in his steps momentarily, taking in Maeto's audacious comparison. His nostrils flared and his jaw muscles bobbed under his skin. Subconsciously, he rubbed his gloved fingers together—a tell that indicated a need for his lightsaber. The blood rushed to his head and something deep down was begging him to snap his neck. "You're lying." His voice cracked under the mounting rage.

Maeto suddenly swung a long object. Anakin jumped back, arching his midsection inward to avoid contact. The weapon moved again and Anakin ducked. As Maeto stepped forward and gained some ground, he diagonally swung the weapon upwards. Anakin leaned away from the stroke and dodged the weapon, then countered with a right hook to this cheek. Mateo yelped, staggering back and dropped the weapon. He quickly regained his composure and continued with numerous jabs. With a series of ducks and dodges, Anakin made the assault pointless and he finally put an end to the futile attempts with a left to the face and a right to the gut. It was enough to get Maeto to stop his attack, but Anakin could not stop himself. It felt so good to let some of the anger and hurt out…too good. With each fist that made contact, Anakin realized he was enjoying the pain he was inflicting. He realized how good vengeance felt, and he knew it was wrong. So very wrong. But he couldn't stop himself. He raised another tightened fist and finally paused. It astounded him at how difficult it was to stop. His breath slowing to its normal pace, Anakin lowered his hand and released him. Maeto's torso had folded in and he groaned as the taste of blood saturated his taste buds. His lips were throbbing and his face felt like it was on fire. Maeto glared at his would-be victim and didn't spare any of the malice.

Anakin looked over his shoulder and saw Obi-wan standing beside him, agape. Ashamed, he took a few steps back.

Before addressing Maeto again, Obi-wan spared a quick wary glance toward Anakin, "Maeto, we have evidence that proves beyond a shadow of doubt that either you or someone you know reprogrammed the navigator droid to pilot the freighter. You or someone you know erased the maintenance data for the freighter and you or someone you know disabled the security holorecorders in the droid quarters. We are also aware that you are notorious for gambling and had an enormous gambling debt that has hampered the company's financial reputation."

Maeto dabbed a finger at his nostril and realized he was bleeding. "You two are crazy! This is harassment! I don't know what you're talking about. For the thousandth time, I don't know anything!"

"I think you do. I think you know there are regulations against allowing droids to pilot cargo freighters, and the penalty for violations include very steep fines and license revocation, of which will practically shut down your family business…maybe for good." Obi-wan took a step closer. "I think you created the roster for the crew of that freighter and sealed it so that no one else could make changes. The records show you hired Giliam Bilik as the pilot for the ship. Drego is the VP of personnel. Is he aware of Giliam Bilik?"

Maeto's eye warily dodged back and forth between Anakin and Obi-wan. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it when no suitable explanation was available.

"What happened to him, Maeto? Hmm?" Anakin asked bitterly, folding his arms over his chest. "Were you able to send his body back to his family? Or was he lucky enough to call out sick that day?"

Maeto dabbed at his nose and yelled, "You've read the reports, Skywalker! His body was never found!"

"Of course it wasn't! He was never on the ship!" Anakin yelled back.

"As a matter of fact," Obi-wan added. "He doesn't exist. Does he?"

There was a moment of silence that fell between the three men. Anakin narrowed his eyes at Maeto in thought. "You know Obi-wan, I don't think this worm has the brain power to orchestrate an assassination by himself." He looked over at his former master.

"Neither do I," Obi-wan turned and walked around the desk. He started looking through the files on the desk. "In fact, I don't think he has a motive."

"Then that means he must have been contacted by someone who does. Someone with something to offer." Anakin looked back to Maeto. "Who was it?"

Maeto didn't respond and only gave him an icy glare.

"I have analyzed your records, Maeto. You had more debts than resources to satisfy them. Something or someone helped you out of your financial bind. Who was it?" Obi-wan asked looking up from the files on the desk.

Maeto struggled to strengthen his resolve under the weight of the interrogation. His eyes shifted miserably from Obi-wan to Anakin, refusing to answer.

"Tell us what we want to know." Anakin ordered.

"You can no longer deny any involvement. We've got you cold on droid tampering, falsifying records and obstructing justice. If you're lucky enough to avoid a long imprisonment, you'll be around to see your family business and their reputation in ruins. No one will want to do business with Spek or be associated with it." Obi-wan said with a knowing gaze.

Another moment of silence passed as Maeto considered his next words. He looked at the two men before him and said, "I'm going to need some protection."

"From whom?" Obi-wan shifted his head slightly.

"I'm not giving up anything until I have your word that you're going to protect me."

Anakin's icy gaze shifted to Obi-wan.

Anakin's indication was not missed. Obi-wan and continued, "You are in no position to compromise. You are between a bantha and hard place. When we walk out of here, we will either begin investigating the information you provided or expose the depth of your company's involvement with the death of one of the republic's most admired politicians to the media."

Angry that his ploy was ineffective, Maeto's face twisted in to a grimace, "Screw you, Jedi! You expect me to offer up information that could get me killed! I must choose between my family's reputation and my life? What, do you want me to end up like the senator? My ass is on the line here! I want some protect-."

This time the rate of occurrence could not be measured. Anakin raised his hand, lifting Maeto off the floor and hurled him into the wall on the other side of the room. Maeto's face smacked the surface as he crumpled to his knees. He groaned and slowly managed to stumble to his feet. He turned to see his attacker and was met with a sound punch that pushed him back against the wall. He spat out some blood that collected in his mouth and said, "I-I know my rights! You Jedi can't do this to me!"

Anakin grabbed Mateo by the neck and started to squeeze, "If you want to worry about your ass, start now."

Obi-wan's calls for Anakin to cease went unheard. It was muffled by the throbbing of his own rage boiling beneath his skin.

It was so easy…too easy to kill Maeto. He could sense Maeto's anger turn to fear. He squeezed tighter. The feeling of panic, the sensation of his neck muscle struggling against his closing fist was seductive.

_He deserves this…He needs __to suffer. He helped kill innocent people. He helped kill Padme. _

As Anakin tightened his embrace, Maeto shut his eyes tight. He tried kicking and prying away from it but Anakin's grip was like an iron vise. He attempted clawing at Anakin's face, but the length of Anakin's arm was too long.

"Anakin! No!" Obi-wan quickly moved around the desk. "Anakin, that's enough!"

No sound could be heard over the chaos that was releasing inside. He could only hear the sounds of two great metal structures slamming together and the explosion that followed shortly afterward. He could only remember the raw sensation of her force signature violently snapping. His eyes burned with fury and his hand continued closing into a fist. He could feel the life beginning to slip from his victim. It was well deserved by his judgment…_A life for a life_.

He could feel his own power surge, infused with his turbulent emotions. Anakin could feel his senses double in strength. He could sense the beads of sweat forming on Maeto's neck to the movement of the messenger droids on the far end of the facility. Every ability was magnified.

As Anakin's eyes began to shift from cerulean to a red rimmed bright yellow, he couldn't deny that it was intoxicating.

Obi-wan could see Maeto was starting to weaken and moved to Anakin's side. He placed a hand on Anakin's shoulder and another on the offending wrist. "Anakin, let him go." He looked at him. "He is not worth it. Justice cannot be served this way. We need him to give us more answers. Stop this, please. This is not who you really are."

Shame rearing its head, Anakin blinked realizing that he was drifting away from where he needed to be to keep his children safe and catch Padme's killer. He cast his eyes down at Maeto and realized with great reluctancy that killing him would likely make the trail go cold. He released Maeto with a shove and watched him fall to his knees, heaving desperately to breath in much needed air. He turned his back as his breaths steadied to a normal pace. With a shaky mournful voice, he asked as if wounded, "Then who am I, Obi-wan?"

Not waiting for an answer, he immediately turned and left the office.

The long sharp intake of air caused Maeto to cough profusely and clutch his bruised neck.

Obi-wan watched Anakin's shadow pass along the window and shrink down the stairs. He reached over to the water dispenser, filled up a cup and offered to the recovering liar.

Stooping down on one knee, he said, "Now, I will ask you again and I strongly advise you not make me walk out that door without the truth. I need to know who approached you."

Mateo grimaced and dropped his gaze in thought. He nodded to himself as if acknowledging the lack of choice. "Alright…A-alright, I'll tell you everything." He coughed and sat with his back against the wall. "It was a woman."

"A woman? Who was she?" Obi-wan immediately considered Asajj ventress.

"I don't know. It was just some woman. She didn't give her name," He quickly gulped the water, "but she sure as hell knew mine. She called me on my personal communicator. She said that she had a job for me and that it would pay a lot of money for very little effort. It would only take three hours at most."

"Go on."

"She knew I had debts to pay off. And that I had to pay them fast. She knew I didn't have enough money. She even knew my bookie's name and that I have been avoiding him. She said I wouldn't have to do much and I'd get a lot of money for it. So I said I'd do it. I had no choice! My brothers locked me out of the company accounts! They got our sister tracking every penny spent! She's merciless."

"How much did they offer you?"

"75, 000 credits," Maeto said with another cough. "More than enough to pay it all off."

"And what did you have to do?"

"The day after I got the call, I came in to do my shift. Usually before I go for my break, I do a schematics check on the droids scheduled to crew the ships. Before I left the area, I removed the plug for the security holorecorders. I did not re-engage the plug until the next day when I did another schematics check. I was instructed to tell the anyone who asked that I must have tripped over the plug and pulled it out."

"It seems someone was watching you very closely, Mr. Spek. How long as your pilots been working here?"

"Most of them have been working here for well over five years. The rest were here much longer than that. I don't think any of them were involved in this."

Obi-wan's eyes rolled around as he thought about the length of time the holorecorders were unplugged. It would have been more than enough time to re-program a droid. "Did she tell you what was going to happen while you were gone?"

"I didn't." Maeto shrugged and shook his head and coughed.

"Who has access to that room?"

"I'm the only one. I'm the one who grants access for the techs to come in and service the droids. But my techs were not scheduled to service the droids until the week after. They come every two weeks."

"Did you or anyone see who came here while you were gone?"

"No. The droid department is on the other side of the hangar. No one would see who went in there unless they go out of their way to see."

"I know there's more. What else?"

"Sh-she said a droid must pilot freighter 394 scheduled to make shipments for the ambassadorial sector. She said to create a data trail to support that we hired Gilliam Billik as a new pilot. I was to add him to schedule him for that freighter on his first day of work… So I did."

"Drego knew about this?" Obi-wan's eyes narrowed.

"No. I accessed his records and created Billik as a new pilot and scheduled him in."

"What else?" Obi-wan demanded. "There's more to tell, Maeto. Tell me."

"I had to erase the maintenance and diagnostic logs for the freighter…make it look like the ship was faulty."

"And how did you get paid?" Obi-wan rose to his feet

"35 thousand credits was wired to a Coruscant Mutual account under my name when I came back from my break that night. The other 40 was wired the night of the accident. She-she told me that it would be wise if I didn't refuse this offer or mention it to anyone else. It didn't take me long to decide." Maeto shook his head.

"I didn't know what they were doing with the droid. I didn't know what they were planning. I swear!"

"You didn't ask either." Obi-wan spared him a critical glance.

"What would you have done? It was more than enough money to pay off debts for very little work. It was easy money."

"And you lied to the investigators." Obi-wan added in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Yeah but…I couldn't tell them anything anyway. Whoever this was, they were obviously thorough enough to research me and well backed to have the money to pay me off. I would suggest they work on their approach though."

"Why is that?" Obi-wan furled his brow.

"The woman on the phone sounded little nervous…like she was scared. She sounded like she was reading what she was saying to me."

It was confirmation that Asajj was not part of this equation. None of this sounded like actions of a Sith trained force adept. Whoever was behind Padme's death used a number of unwitting or unwilling people to execute the plan. It was obvious that this tactic was employed to remain elusive. Obi-wan looked down at Maeto, the only lead in the case and said, "I'm going to need the account information the money was wired to."

Maeto opened in his mouth to protest, but immediately closed it when Obi-wan glanced towards the door.

Maeto stood up and limped around to his desk, touching his lip and checking for blood. He sifted through the datapads on his desk and handed one over. Obi-wan quickly downloaded the data on to his chip and said, "If anything you've told us turns into a wild bantha chase, my friend out there will hunt you, and he _will_ find you. When he does, I might not be there to stop him."

"That's everything I know. I swear."

"Good." Obi-wan tossed him a towel that rested on the back of another chair and turned to walk out of the door. "Here, clean yourself up."

"Tell Skywalker, I meant no disrespect about his woman. I was just scared about the-Hey, wait! They are going to look for me if it gets out I talked. I need some kind of protective custody or something."

"I'm sure the CSF can help you."

"This is not something I can take lightly."

"Your primary concern should be how your family will react when they discover you may have ruined them."

Maeto scoffed, "They'll forgive me. I was blackmailed into this."

"Perhaps," Obi-wan stroked his beard, "But from their perspective, it'll look like you were paid."

"I can handle my family. It's that woman or whoever's backing her that's concerning me."

Obi-wan answered from the doorway. "Then you'd better hope your information leads us to him before he finds you."


	11. Eleven

**Eleven**

The familiar and unshakeable sentiment of disappointment weighed heavy on Anakin's shoulders. In his mind he revisited the shameful moments, relived the sensation of squeezing Maeto's life from his body. Anakin half questioned - half scolded himself.

_Why did you have to lose it in there? I could have handled that better. I shouldn't have done that!_

Despite how wrong it was, he couldn't help being amazed at how good it felt to let his emotions roam free. The loss of restraint was intoxicating. Allowing it to fuel his connection to the force, amplified his power tenfold. Most disturbing of all was that part of him enjoyed it...and that small piece of him wanted more. It was then that Anakin realized something was changing inside him. Though it was minor and illusive, it carried with it the potential to turn him into something far worse than a mourning addict. It made him note that though he fights the urge to self medicate with alcohol, he still was not entirely in control of himself. It happened so quickly and subtly that he barely knew what he was doing until Obi-wan stopped him. He realized that if Obi-wan had not been there to stop him, Maeto would have been dead, any clues gone with him and the investigation would have gone cold.

With disillusionment lacing every breath, he folded his arms and sighed. He stood at the bottom of the staircase facing the main entrance. Anakin searched the floor of the facility for a distraction from the creeping urge to drink. He could almost feel the glass in his hand, the taste of the elixir gliding along his tongue and passing down his esophagus. He could almost feel its distorting, mind numbing affect.

_How good it would feel to wash all this away with just a few swallows..._

He pushed the toxic thought from his mind and directed his energy to the vision he had earlier. Unbidden came the memory of his argument with Padme the day she died, and her reaction when he called her out on her unusual behavior.

_'Over the last few months your dislike of the chancellor has increased exponentially. What's really going on here, Padme? This isn't really about what I've done or didn't tell you. This is about what you're not telling me. This is about what you know or what you are involved in. You're either in over your head or you're about to be and it could affect us all. So, tell me what's going on.'_

With staggering detail he could remember her exact reaction. Her back may have been turned at the time, but Anakin could sense her resolve shutter for a split moment. Anakin could see her back stiffen and her muscle tense. It was a slight indication of a closely held secret, but at the time it was too far from the heart of the argument to pursue.

Anakin considered the conversation that took place in the vision. He realized that this meeting might have taken place when Padme's feelings towards the chancellor worsened. She agreed to be a party to a secret movement against Palpatine. His heart skipped a beat as he realized she was involved in a treasonous movement.

_Why would she risk treason? Why would she risk the penalty for this? Doing something like this during a time of war when the republic is weakened, could be construed as dissent._

And then he remembered that Padme was adamant about distancing the children from Palpatine, about keeping their personal life away from Palpatine's prying eyes and ears. He remembered that Keets recommended they keep their families ignorant of their covert actions. It explained why Padme didn't tell him anything, and made him realize that for Padme, disclosure was not an option. Anakin stood at the bottom of the steps praying that appearances were not as it seemed. He hated that these valid thoughts were distorting her memory, but he couldn't deny that Padme may have possibly been a traitor.

He considered former chancellor Valorum and his need to closely watch Palpatine. He was not surprised that Valorum, with the help of 'Keets', would be looking for something foul with Palpatine's political maneuvers. It was logical to feel a successor is inadequate or unsuitable, especially when one's time ended sooner than expected. Certainly there would be some resentment, but accusing Palpatine of murder?

It was now imperative and clear beyond doubt that he must find out what they knew and find if Padme discovered something worth being killed for. Perhaps, then he'd find a motive and her killer.

A great sense of dread suddenly rose from the depths of his heart and attached itself to the implication.  
He couldn't and he wouldn't allow himself to follow the thought to conclusion. It was a thought too terrible and painful to consider. It would mean he'd done something far worse than hurting Padme with his indignation, just before her death. It would mean he'd done something nearly as horrific as his failure to save her. The conclusion to that thought would mean that his faith in her failed...and that his marriage was in trouble long before either of them realized it.

Swallowing hard, Anakin shrugged off the notion assuming it to be absurd and baseless. He shook his head.

_The chancellor would not harm Padme nor have her harmed. He is a good man and a good friend._

~~~

His thoughts were interrupted when Obi-wan descended the stairs. Shame reared its head once again when Obi-wan reached the floor and cast a wary glance his way. Anakin fell in step beside him and could sense his former master was disappointed with the way the investigation was handled. The two walked out of the facility in silence, neither looking in the other's direction.

As they approached their parked speeder and climbed in, Obi-wan finally broke the silence. "For a moment there I thought you were going to kill him."

Sitting in the pilot's seat, Anakin sighed and activated the controls. "So did I." Pointing the nose of the craft skyward, he pushed off.

Obi-wan's voice was laced with great concern. He turned his head towards Anakin and said, "I noticed something changed back there. What hap—"

"What did you find out?" Anakin interjected, eager to change the subject.

He was disturbed by Anakin's lack of control, but he was even more disturbed by his own willingness to allow things to go that far. It was clear that the though the investigation was very close to Anakin, it was also close to him too. He considered that perhaps more discussion on this issue could wait until Anakin was ready to address it. Obi-wan studied Anakin momentarily before answering. "He says it was a woman who approached him, though he does not know her name."

"Asajj?" Anakin turned a fierce gaze toward him. The whites of his eyes were bright despite the speckled dark of the air traffic. The cerulean eyes seemed to have darkened to an indiscernible shade. In them Obi-wan could see that pain and anger, while held at bay, still prevailed. Asajj was and still is Anakin's nemesis. She would have a motive and the means to orchestrate such a thing.

He shook his head, "No. The way this was done doesn't sound like her at all. Going by the details, the woman involved may have been roped into this the same way he was."

"Roped into it?" Anakin furled his brow at the craft in front and swerved around it.

"He says he was blackmailed."

"Of course he's going to say that to cover his own skin." After Obi-wan shrugged his brow at the statement, Anakin continued, "Who's the woman?"

"She's didn't identify herself."

"So we've got to find the woman." Anakin took a sharp right turn. "She contacted him somehow."

"Through his personal communicator."

"I can get to those records easy enough."

"Excellent. Meanwhile I have some account records to go through." Obi-wan held up the datachip.

"What's that?"

"Maeto has admitted to everything we have discovered. He says that he was paid $75,000 credits. $35,000 credits were transferred into his account the night the droid was compromised and another 40 after the collision." Obi-wan shook the datachip at him. "The bank statements are here."

Anakin sighed and said, "So what's next? Follow the money?"

"Yes, and find out who implemented that subroutine in to the droid's programming."

Anakin was silent for a while and said, "I think Hoyt is good person to start with."

"Hoyt?" Obi-wan narrowed his eyes.

"Hoyt." He waited for recollection to unfurl Obi-wan's brow. Seeing that his wait was in vain, he continued, "The contract hacker…" Still nothing. He added, "Raxius Prime?"

"Ah Yes! Hoyt. I remember him now. He caused us quite a bit of trouble."

"You mean he caused you quite a bit of trouble."

"I don't know what you are talking about, Anakin. I had everything under control."

"Did you now? I guess being surrounded by super battle droids while losing ground on a pile of scrap metal means you didn't need my help…again." Anakin said with a rare smirk.

Obi-wan enjoyed that familiar and longed for jab. He simply smiled. The bantha between was not missed. Neither could deny that what happened previously weighed heavily between them.

The rare smirk slowly faded as did the fond memory. Reality set back in and Anakin didn't spare any of the disillusionment from his voice. "I'm going to sit this one out, Obi-wan."

Obi-wan looked at him moderately surprised.

"It's very clear that I'm emotionally connected to this case. I can't deny that. I want to be a part of this investigation, but I need to put some distance between myself and the suspects. That's just too close for comfort."

"I understand."

The speeder came to a halt when the traffic droid signaled. "When I—lost it—back there, I could hear you telling me to stop. But I didn't want to…I almost couldn't. Part of me wanted revenge and it took nearly all my strength to stop myself."

"We are very close to this investigation, Anakin. You more than I. From this start, we needed to take extreme care not to let our emotions drive our actions. I could feel you were treading very close to the darkside back there. Seeking out the true cause of your wife's death requires a great deal of control and strength. No one said it would be easy. Believe this is one of, if not THE, greatest trial of your life…and mine."

Anakin furled his brow in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Anakin, let's be fair about this. Part of the disappointment belongs to me. I knew the state you were in and yet I let you go."

"You _let_ me go?"

"I did. I could've stopped you, but I didn't. I knew interrogating Maeto might push you over the edge, make you lose control. I thought that perhaps with some answers you could finally release some of the pain and anger you have locked away. I didn't see clearly. You and Padme were my dearest friends. Padme's passing was difficult for me as well. I'm ashamed to admit that a small part of me felt that Maeto's stubbornness deserved some…intervention, and that isn't the Jedi way. I shouldn't have let it go so far and I apologize."

Anakin looked at his former master astounded and grateful. Obi-wan's usual reserve seemed to have thinned just enough to allow a look at another rarely seen, rarely demonstrated side. Anakin appreciated being able to see him in a new light. He was not accustomed to the idea of Obi-wan admitting to a mistake, let alone making one. One thing that could never be questioned was Obi-wan's strict adherence to the code and to the life of a Jedi. Never did he consider that Obi-wan, who personified what it meant to be a Jedi, could ever be imperfect or flawed. The thought was inconceivable, foreign. Anakin turned his head back to the traffic when it resumed movement and realized that Obi-wan, whether intentional or not, made him realize just then that the perfect Jedi does not exist…that even those counted among the most revered, stoic and wise are in some way flawed. That no one can perfectly emulate the Jedi template. The Jedi code was an idealistic attempt at ensuring its numbers didn't fall by the wayside. The flaws exist whether demonstrated or not. This revelation bloomed in his mind and it brought him great comfort.

He realized the demands he put on himself were unrealistic and nearly impossible to achieve. The comfort that this brought him, began to chip at the wall of guilt that isolated him from all he loved. And he dared to wonder if he'd forgive himself one day.

Anakin could only nod. "Me too."

~~~

The speeder slowed as it arrived at the Jedi temple. Anakin's eyes wandered up the numerous steps to the great statues flanking the first landing and rested on the reliefs of ancient Jedi knights lining the entrance. He couldn't deny that he missed walking up the stairs, sparring in the training rooms, meditating in the room of a thousand fountains, and conversing with other knights.

The nostalgic look was not missed by the elder of the two. "Are you coming?" Obi-wan said with a smile as he stood outside of the speeder.

"No, I can't." Anakin looked at Obi-wan. "Something's come up that I need to look into."

Obi-wan raised his brow, "Oh?"

Anakin considered telling him about the vision of Padme's meeting, but soon realized that Obi-wan would probably insist he see the healers. He decided to keep quiet until he had more solid information. "I need to find out what Padme was up to. I knew she was hiding something from me in the months before she died."

"My initial thought was Neimoidian involvement…But you're thinking this wasn't a grudge killing."

"At this point the set up appears too elaborate for them. This was carefully planned and skillfully executed."

"If Padme was killed because of what she knew, whoever it is will do whatever necessary to keep it hidden."

"I need to find out what that was," Anakin had a determined look in his eye. "And I think I know where to start."

Obi-wan rightly guessed. "Bail Organa."

It was logical. Anakin understood that whatever Bail would divulge definitely will include accusations and suspicions of Chancellor Palpatine's dealings. It would chip at the image he had always held of his mentor and friend which could create some resistance. It would certainly test his loyalty to such a long time friend. Anakin promised himself he would try to keep an open mind and conduct this investigation objectively. It would be hard, especially without drinking. But it had to be done. Regardless of his friendship, he had to do his best to listen for the answers he sought and try as he might to keep his feelings out of the equation.

"Bail and Padme worked together on several projects. It's very likely that they shared much of their information." Obi-wan scratched his beard in thought, "You just might find a motive there and perhaps a clue as to who would have the opportunity to contact Maeto."

"Hopefully, you and I will come up with the same answer."

"Hopefully." Obi-wan nodded.

"Good luck with Hoyt."

"I don't think he will be much of a problem." Obi-wan folded his arms. "I will contact you as soon as I can." He smiled again and said, "May the force be with you."

"May the force be with you." Anakin watched ascend the stairs still amazed that there were still parts of his former master that remained a mystery.

TBC...


	12. Twelve

The Cantham house was the midpoint between a luxurious duplex apartment and a small palace. Not far from the Aldereenian Consulate, it served as the embassy as well as the Coruscant residence of Alderaan's senator, Bail Organa.

Anakin followed the butler droid passed the wrought iron and glass doors, and through the marble floored reception parlor. Modestly decorated, it merely hinted at the splendor of the palace on Alderaan. The sound of his steps and the whirring of the droid's gears reverberated against the walls as they made their way along the corridors and finally to a door. Anakin watched carefully, observing the droid connect to the security control pad beside the door frame. It was strange for a senator to have such security inside his residence as well as outside.

The door opened, revealing a vast office space larger than the one Padme used in the apartment. The anteroom mirrored the decorative style of the reception parlor. Just ahead was Bail Organa's desk preceding a panoramic view of the sentorial district. The droid stopped just passed the threshold and gestured with an extended arm for Anakin to continue into the main office. Standing behind the desk was the senator himself, signing off on documents handed to him by his aides.

Bail looked up and smiled as his aides prepared to leave. "Anakin. It's always a pleasure." He signed the last document and stepped around the desk to shake his hand.

Anakin scanned the objects on the desk and recognized an activated audio disruptor. It was unusual to see employment of such a device by a politician in his own residence and it was extremely clear that Bail had something to fear. In order to get Bail to divulge the secrets he and Padme shared, Anakin would have to gain his trust and being a close friend of chancellor wouldn't make things any easier.

"Same here, Senator Organa." Anakin shook the extended hand. "I hope I'm not intruding. I can always come back another time."

"No-no please, I'm just about done here." He smiled again and asked, "Can I get you anything?"

"No, thank you. I'm fine." Sensing Bail's apprehension, he asked, "I assume you know why I'm here?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. When my assistant informed me that you wished to meet with me, I had a feeling it was pertaining to your investigation."

Anakin nodded. "Something like that. I need to ask you a few questions about a project you and Padme worked on together."

"Padme and I worked on several projects and initiatives. I would be happy to assist with in any way I can." He gestured toward a large sunken alcove to the left that served as a sitting area. Anakin immediately identified the ring that Bregor described.

"Good. Then I don't have to tell you how critical your information is to this case." Anakin descended the two steps and sat at the edge of one of the couches. "Padme was involved in something that not many knew of, including myself. I have a feeling that whatever she was a part of or whatever she knew might have given someone a reason to kill her." His eyes met the Senator's. "I thought you would have an idea."

"What makes you think that?" Bail asked with intrigue.

"You were one of Padme's close friends and colleagues. You two shared the same point of view as far as republic affairs go and I know this project was most important."

"That description fits many if not all of our projects." Bail shook his head with a chuckle, "I'm sorry. I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific."

Anakin watched him take a seat in the chair across from him. A feeling a déjà vue came over him and he turned his head, surveying the entire sitting area. He recognized the furniture, the view from the window and the layout from the vision he had the night before. He saw the chair that Padme sat in and rested his eyes on Bail, realizing that he was sitting in the same chair as in the vision. Everything was identical except there was no mist or fog to distort his view. "It took place here." He said under his breath.

"I don't know what you mean. What took place here?"

Ignoring the question, Anakin looked at the Senator and asked, "Does the name Keets mean anything to you?"

The name uttered caused the senator to stiffen. He could sense that Bail was growing alarmed. Bail called on his droid. "5bn."

The droid dutifully appeared from a room on the other side of the office. "Yes, Senator. How may I assist you?"

"Go to the lower quarters and shut down for while. When I need you again, I will send for you."

"Of course, Senator. Thank you." The droid turned and left the room at once.

Bail turned back to Anakin with a nonchalant smile, "I apologize, Anakin. I'm not familiar with anyone by that name. While I'm glad Padme's death is being properly investigated, I regret this is something-"

"Senator, spare me the political maneuvering", Anakin said raising a gloved hand. He was not at all surprised that Bail would disavow any dealings with or knowledge of this unknown person. Time was of the essence and he needed to be direct. "What did Keets tell Padme that convinced her to join this campaign against the chancellor?"

Bail shifted in his seat, "How would I know? I don't know who this Keets person is. You're wasting time asking me."

"Senator, I need to know."

Bail shrugged his brow and slowly shook his head, "I'm truly sorry, Anakin. I can't help you."

Anakin paused, "You can't? Or you won't?"

"Don't misunderstand me. If I could assist, I would be more than happy to."

"Do you admit to arranging for those two ships to be kept in archives?"

Bail was startled by the question. "I-"

"You went down there months before I got involved and told the clerk to keep the ships, that the case would be re-opened." Anakin narrowed his eyes. "How did you know the case would be re-opened?"

Bail hesitated, dropping his gaze momentarily and working his jaw. He was clearly considering a denial of the implication. He shook his head slowly and sighed, "I didn't. I wanted her death investigated properly. I lobbied this with certain members of the senate and several affluent supporters, including the queen of Naboo."

"What happened?"

"Nothing. We were faced with at least two years of red tape. The CSF commissioner and several other judicial officials were either not interested or too consumed with their own affairs to assist in any way. I had to move on those ships before they were destroyed. The CSF is so disorganized and possesses such lackadaisical methods that they wouldn't notice two ships missing on their scrap roster. Those ships could stay there for twenty years and no one would notice. I doubt if they were properly investigated."

"They weren't." Anakin replied flatly.

"You were able to find something then?"

Anakin nodded.

"Good." Bail nodded and leaned back in the chair. "I hope you're not doing this alone. Never did I expect that you would take on investigation."

Anakin immediately detected the maneuver, and he completely understood the necessity. If he was going to get Bail to trust him, he had to allow enough transparency for Bail to know he was on the level.  
"I'm not alone. Obi-wan Kenobi is working with me on this."

Bail rested his elbow on the arm of the chair and balanced his head on his thumb and index finger. His eyes bore into the younger man willing to see any reason for non-disclosure. "These days the chancellor has a strong reach across many entities. I'm certain his influence was helpful in conducting this investigation."

He was subtly probing for any association with chancellor Palpatine in the case. Perceiving this and deciding not to lie, Anakin responded. "It was."

"I see," Bail nodded slowly. "It seems your friendship with Palpatine has paid off."

"It's no secret that the chancellor and I are close friends. I asked him to clear the way for me to conduct the investigation. That is the limit of his involvement. I promise you. I do not report my findings to him and he is not a part of the investigative team."

"Who would you be reporting your findings to then?"

"The Jedi Council."

Bail nodded. "With the Jedi involved, the truth will have a greater chance of seeing the light this time around."

Anakin thought it was time to put the focus back on the purpose of his visit. "And what truth would that be, Senator?"

Bail paused before speaking and said, "Padme was greatly respected and a truly inspiring politician. She was one of a few with integrity that sincerely had the best interests of the people at heart. She was dedicated and unwavering when she supported a cause. This was her gift and her curse. Her principles and her veracity made many enemies, some more deadly than others." Bail paused again, weighing his words. "If Padme's life were ever unexpectedly cut short, only a fool would think it accidental or natural…especially during a time such as this."

"So who would have a motive and the means?"

"I don't care to speculate."

"You haven't told me anything I don't already know, Senator. Whatever she was a part of, she was getting in too deep and growing more distant from me. She was so far away from me that I could barely recognize her. I would even go as far as to say she was afraid of something. Whatever it was, she was in over her head. And you know exactly what it was."

Bail remained silent and cast his eyes downward. It was clear that Anakin was not the only one who carried the burden of guilt. "She was a dear friend. I would never want her in harm's way."

"Senator, I don't think I haven't noticed you're apprehensive about something. One can't simply walk into your office, looking to have a word with you. Since I mentioned this investigation, you removed the droid from the office, which is unusual when a politician has a guest. You have an activated audio disruptor. Everything is on high alert for you now, as it has been ever since Padme died and I know why. "

"Of course!" Bail met Anakin's gaze. "Padme's death was tragic enough to make anyone take extra precautions."

"That's a load of BS! Padme counted you as a trustworthy and honorable politician. She told me that you are one of a dwindling few who were not afraid to go against the majority." Anakin went on, "She wouldn't want this buried under lies and bureaucracy. You want her killer brought to justice. I know this because you lobbied to re-open her case. You didn't want this buried then…so don't do this now."

Bail looked turned away from Anakin.

Anakin leaned forward, balancing his forearms on his knees. "I know you want to find who's behind this as much as I do. I cannot stop him without your help, Senator."

Bail's voice softened, "You don't know what you're asking of me."

"What would you be sacrificing, Senator? I need you to be brave enough to tell me what was going on."

"Anakin, do not mistake my lack of cooperation for cowardice." Bail eyes met Anakin's.

"Then it's a protective measure." He immediately deduced.

"For my family." Bail softly confirmed.

"In that case you will understand when I tell you your cooperation will help me save what's left of mine."

Taken off guard by the implication, Bail blinked. "Are you saying your children are now targets?"

"I-I'm not certain." Anakin straightened and looked away uncomfortably. "Nothing will be certain until this murderer is caught."

Bail opened his mouth to speak, hesitated and closed it again. Bewilderment was evident on his face.

"Senator, please. I need your help."

"I wonder if your loyalty to the chancellor will misguide you, cause you to betray my confidence."

"What you say now will never reach his ears."

"Who else knows you are here?"

"Just Obi-wan."

After pausing briefly in thought, Bail said, "I'm taking an awful risk, Anakin. But you were once a Jedi knight, and I know you're a good man. Padme trusted you enough that she wanted to involve you and the Jedi from the beginning. But we discouraged her, reminded her of the pact we made and of the risks."

Anakin felt himself shake at the thought of Padme being put into a position where she had to deceive her family to keep them safe. He quickly realized that he didn't make it any easier for her back then.  
Acknowledging he had lost faith in her made him sick.

Bail continued, "She was an excellent judge of character. If she trusted you, so will I, but I must have your word that what is spoken of in this room will only be shared with Obi-wan and great care will be taken so no one else will know of this. Many lives are at stake."

"You have my word, Senator."

"What I'm about to divulge will not be easy to hear because it involves your close friend, Chancellor Palpatine and you may not like what Padme was involved in," Bail paused, "But if you wish to know, you must listen."

"Little more than three years ago, former chancellor Finis Valorum, myself and several other senators were working together, lobbying against the enhanced security and enforcement act. This act meant merge more power toward the chancellor. We gathered so much support against it that the chances of it passing were shrinking with every debate. During a meeting I had with Palpatine, my position on the act came up and I informed him of my intent to oppose it. Palpatine advised me that it might be in my best interest not to see Valorum again. He said, 'Dirt rubs off so easily, and can tarnish those who would otherwise seem clean'". With a snort, he took a sip of his drink.

Anakin looked down in disbelief. Deep down part of him believed that Palpatine would say this. He considered the wording and the phrasing. He could not deny that he could almost hear the statement in his friend's own voice. It was an ambiguous statement, easily spun negatively or positively. He didn't know what to make of it and didn't like that it gave him an uneasy feeling. Listening to Bail's account was beginning to test his objectivity.

"The chancellor has a way of making benign statements." Bail shrugged. "However, I found his advice was well timed, because it wasn't too long after that meeting that the pirates attacked my ship."

"I hate to say this but you are sounding a lot like a conspiracy theorist."

"So it may seem. But you may see a different point of view after you hear more." Bail continued, "Finis Valorum visited me here. He expressed his frustration and anger at the Senate's willingness to give away the basic rights that made the republic a democracy. He said the senate was unwittingly creating a dictatorship… that their greed and corruption would cost them their liberties. I admit I shared the same sentiment, and I still do…" He stood up and walked to the credenza at the opposite wall.

"…Valorum had spent the last few years observing Palpatine's methods and those who have either opposed or aligned themselves with him. He enlisted the assistance of a journalist to help find out what Palpatine had been up to. Though I was concerned about the power he gathered during the course of this war, I didn't think Palpatine was as power hungry, ruthless and calculating as Valorum claimed. After all, the senate elected to give him these powers."

Bail poured water from a decanter in a glass. "Would you care for a drink?"

"Just water, thank you." Still puzzled by the account, Anakin asked, "What made him come to you with this?"

Pouring another glass, he answered, "It sounds a bit far-fetched, but he believed that Palpatine ordered the pirate attack on my transport."

Anakin furled his brow. "That's ridiculous."

"I felt the same way at first. There was no solid proof to back up the accusation, only unsubstantial evidence."

"Such as…"

Bail turned and walked toward Anakin. "The attack acted as a lightning bolt rallying support for the enforcement act, turning the tide of the debate. Those who were undecided or were in opposition were now in support of it. The passing of this bill seemed inevitable...I knew it in my bones that Palpatine set up that attack so that he could get that act passed." He walked over and handed Anakin the glass.

"How could he have done this?"

"I am not sure. A man in his position is well connected enough to work through others to get a task completed." He sat down on the couch. "I met with Valorum again and said I would help in any way I could to have Palpatine step down or removed from power. That's when he then put in me touch with the journalist that helped him discover some Palpatine's more low key maneuverings. They both firmly believed that Palpatine orchestrated the pirate attack the same way he orchestrated Valorum's impeachment and his own succession to the chancellorship." Bail sat down in the chair.

"Coincidences and speculations, Senator."

"As I said before, the evidence is unsubstantiated. If there is one thing you should take away from this, it's that there are no coincidences."

Anakin took a deep breath and considered the accusations. "As Queen of Naboo, Padme moved for a vote of no confidence." He recalled. "That's what started the process to impeach Valorum. Why set Valorum up just to have its success hinge on Padme's decision?"

"But it was Palpatine who first suggested she enter a vote of no confidence in Valorum's leadership. And it was Palpatine who manipulated her view of what was happening in the rotunda." Bail explained. "He knew she didn't understand the senatorial process."

Anakin remained silent, in thought and completely surprised by the information. It was hard to believe any of what he was just told and realized that he had grown more disturbed by every new revelation.

Bail spoke softly as he reflected. "It's ironic that Padme and Valorum ended up working together to stem the flow of power coalescing around the chancellor."

"Which makes me wonder how did that happen?"

Bail glanced downward at the coffee table. "Since the attack on my ship rallied support for the act, Valorum and I felt we had to strengthen the opposition to permanently remove it. The vote on the enforcement act has been tabled for a few months and that bought us little time. I knew there were many whose opinion of what's happened in the senate and with Palpatine aligned with ours, but there wasn't time to gather all their support. I told him I knew of one would be as dedicated to this cause…namely Padme. She had strong feelings against Palpatine's growing strength, especially after the failure of our petition of 2000…but I never had the chance to set up a meeting with Padme and Valorum."

"What happened?"

"I suggested that we present our findings to the courts, in order to tip the scales against the act. It was pre-mature as we knew we hadn't even begun to scratch the surface on Palpatine's dealings, but we were desperate. Valorum started to set up meetings, and…"

Bail placed the glass on the table. "the following week, he was killed in a terrorist attack. This solidified the Act and it was passed."

"I remember when it happened. It exploded just after…" Anakin's eyes widened and his mouth slowly hung open.

"…take off." Bail nodded. "Palpatine used fear to ensure the act passed."

Anakin was completely blind-sided. He searched for the floor for something to make sense of his conclusion, but there was none. It would mean that everything Padme said about Palpatine was true. It mean that more pain than he could bare. It was too much to consider and a burden he was not ready to deal with. He could feel his world slipping away again, the urge to drop everything and escape to the nearest bar. The anger started to build and grow stronger with each passing second. Anakin stood up from the couch and pinched the bridge of his nose, willing himself to remain in control. He could not lose it…not now. He needed to stay objective and find the truth. Find out why Padme was killed. Find out who could have done it. He started to reason with the revelation.

_It could have been anyone out to protect the interests of the chancellor. It doesn't mean the chancellor was involved._

Anakin turned to face the senator and asked, his voice shaking, "Tell me how Padme got involved?"

"Valorum's journalist, Keets, immediately advised we drop communication for awhile until he initiates again. It wasn't until a year later that he contacted me again. He said there was no way Palpatine would voluntarily give up his position. I agreed. He said we would need the support of a few more people to get this campaign underway, but selection would have to be extremely careful."

"Who else was in on this?"

"Please understand. I can't reveal the identities of the others, Anakin. But I will say that myself, Padme and three other senators were involved and working with Keets. I knew that if she was willing to take part in this, we could gain support faster. So I arranged a meeting with Keets here. It was the first time Padme met him."

"And what did he tell Padme?"

"He told her everything he had discovered about Palpatine. He told her how set Valorum up to ruin his credibility and how he manipulated his way to the chancellorship. There were some things we didn't know, but she filled us in. We discussed the day Palpatine was granted emergency powers. I remembered she was so disappointed that the proposal came from Jarjar. I told her that Jarjar was in the chancellor's office at the time when the idea was first considered."

"Who brought it up?"

"Mas Amedda, the vice chair." Bail added, "Palpatine manipulated us all. Padme grew angry the more she thought about it. She kept blaming herself for allowing him to use her. She said everything that has happened was indirectly connected to Palpatine."

"Meaning?" Anakin squinted his eyes.

"Do you remember when she had to go into hiding? Just before the war on Genosis?"

Anakin sighed, "How could I forget?"

"It was a ploy to get her out of the way. Padme was a strong voice in the senate. She refused to leave until Palpatine ordered her to do so. Her stand-in Representative Binks, although well meaning, was much weaker and easier to manipulate. That's why he was able to make the proposal without objection. Padme would have never made such a proposal."

"You're implying that everything that has developed in his favor was by manipulation. This is ridiculous! Palpatine is nothing more than an opportunist."

"At best!" Bail raised a finger. His voice softened, "but at his worst,—"

"He is not the murdering, calculating, greedy politician you are making him out to be!" Anakin turned away. Objectivity was harder than he thought. Though plausible, it all sounded convoluted. It couldn't be the description of someone he looked up to. None of this made any sense.

Bail stood up, "I told you this would be hard to hear, but you wanted to know what she was up to, what she knew. You wanted to know why she was killed."

"Then perhaps this isn't what made her a mark….You knew as much as Padme, if not more. Yet you live, unharmed!

"And fearful." Bail took a step closer, "I live because I didn't know as everything she knew."

There was a great pause between the two. It seemed there was more that eluded him. Anakin had difficulty digesting Padme's willingness to commit treason, Palpatine suspicious behavior, and the observations of those in opposition of him.

Anakin turned his shoulder towards him, "It doesn't matter whether I like any of this or not." Anakin shook his head. If Bail didn't know everything she knew, then he had to point him in the right direction. "I'm searching for the truth…for answers."

"Then you need to re-consider what you think is ridiculous. Padme's eyes were opened during that meeting with Keets. She was convinced that the power coalescing around the chancellor was coaxed by the chancellor. Padme believe this so much that she acted on it."

Anakin turned to face him, "What did she do?"

Bail turned and walked toward the window, "The day before Padme died, she contacted us and said she found a lead on Kasshyk."

"What was on Kasshyk?"

"She gave no details. She said she'd give a full debrief when she returns. Whatever it was, she needed to move on it fast. Padme said it was big, that it could change everything, including the war."

"One of the last things he said to me was to be very careful of Palpatine. He has the power to remove those in his way." Bail paused and said, "Friend or not Anakin, be careful of him."


	13. Thirteen

**Please accept my sincere apologies for the delay in posting. It was my intention to write as much of the story I could before posting again to maintain a regular posting schedule. Between work, home and school it was getting a bit rough. I now have the bulk of the story written out. I really like this story so I have no intention of abandoning it. Hopefully barring any technical difficulties I will now post a chapter every Thursday or Friday. *Keep your fingers crossed***

**Thirteen**

Obi-wan passed through the narrow winding paths of the large greenhouse. The soothing sound of water collapsing into itself infiltrated his senses, removing some of the tension that built up since leaving the freight company. The paths were partly obscured by the growing flora. The room of a thousand fountains was a well-known locale for meditation and serenity in the midst of a metropolitan planet. Despite the effect of his surroundings, worry still weighed heavily upon his shoulders. Worry for Anakin and also for himself. He found himself surprised at how poorly he handled Maeto Spek's interrogation. He could clearly identify the sensation that rooted his feet to the floor of Maeto's office and kept any protest at bay. It was anger. He hadn't felt that kind of anger since seeing his own master struck down before his eyes, even then he was able to avoid its affect. Obi-wan passed into what was a clearing. There were several hassocks, mats, large pillows and various other devices used for meditation.

There he saw Master Yoda seated with his short legs crisscrossed, eyes closed and hands resting on his knees. Obi-wan forged ahead and sat on the hassock beside the wizened Jedi master.

Obi-wan didn't speak. He cast his gaze to the ground before his feet, searching for the words to voice his concern. Shame made it difficult to speak. Uncertainty made it hard to come to terms with. This was a time that Anakin needed him most. How could he allow himself to falter? What good could he possibly do when his feelings catch him off guard, or cause a failure to act or the lack of it? For those few moments, Obi-wan tried to find the reason where there seemed to be none.

"A reason you will not find, Obi-wan."

"Master?"

Yoda opened his eyes and looked at him, "In yourself, disappointed you are."

He sighed deeply and his shoulders dropped. "I am. I find it hard to imagine that I was able to remain in control of my emotions when Qui-Jon died and yet I was unable to do so tonight."

"Her death, tragic and sudden it was." Yoda nodded, "An accident that has become a murder. Unexpected, this is. Felt Anakin's grief and pain, you did." Yoda pointed a thick green digit toward him. "Powerful and wise you are, Obi-wan. But remember, infinite is the force and much to learn there always is. The more we learn, the more about ourselves we reveal. Our limits, strengths and yes…weaknesses. Impossible it is to learn everything about the force. Discovering our faults is but one aspect, accepting them and adapting to them is another. Revealed your fault is. Now accept and adapt, you must."

Obi-wan nodded, partially amazed that he—a Jedi Master, numbered among the members of the high council—is still being taught things he didn't know about the force. It was a simple concept to learn, but one that had to be experienced in order to understand. Looking back on his actions or lack thereof, it was humbling and comforting to know that there could never be a force sensitive, Jedi or Sith, that was all powerful and all knowing…Unless one was to become the force or part of it, and that was a blessing only granted through death.

His mind continued to process Yoda's concept and he considered one's proximity to the mystical energy field. The closest proximity of any living soul is held by Anakin, the chosen one. It was then that Obi-wan realized the reason for his usual behavior was exhibited. It was through him and for him that the force was working, to understand that the force is a vast and limitless entity…that imperfections are reserved for all those who have not yet united with the force. It was a revelation that was mind blowing and staunched all shame and self-doubt. He rubbed his beard and smiled to himself.

"News on the investigation, you have?" Yoda had not yet opened his eyes.

Obi-wan turned to his teacher, seeing that he returned to his meditative pose. "After examining the wreckage, we discovered that Maeto Spek, one of the directors of Spek Freight company, played an integral part in Padme's death. He accepted payment in exchange for misleading the CSF detectives, falsifying records and authorizing access to the droids. I'm going to Raxus Prime to track down a contract hacker we suspect was the one who accessed the droids' programming."

"Raxus Prime…" He opened his eyes partially. "Heavily besieged by the separatist forces, the outer rim maybe, Obi-wan."

"I expect as much. As the last known location of Dooku's fortress, Raxus may prove difficult to get to."

"Implies separatist involvement in the plot this does." Yoda paused considering the gravity of the situation. "More dangerous this appears than expected, Obi-wan"

"I understand." Obi-wan nodded.

"A squadron of clones, take with you. Limited are our resources. Very little support can we provide."

"I hope our presence will go undetected. This war continues to overwhelm us, Master."

"Indeed it has, Obi-wan. But persevere, we will." Yoda glanced at Obi-wan, "Going to aid the wookies on Kasshyk, I am."

The old master slowly closed his eyes. "Great care you must take, Obi-wan. The darkside obscures everything…the war—the senator's death." He opened them again and said, "I suspect the involvement of the Sith."

Obi-wan instantly reacted in amazement, "I can see why the Separatists would be involved. But the Sith? Why would they want Padme gone?"

"That remains unclear."

"Then I must go now." He stood up and turned toward his old master.

"May the force be with you, Obi-wan." Yoda closed his eyes again.

"May the force be with you as well, Master."

There were several relics around the chancellor's office that were equally captivating and thought provoking. It was obvious that Chancellor Palpatine was an avid collector of artifacts and a history enthusiast. It made sense to Anakin, since he seemed to always know about so many diverse things.

Anakin couldn't help eyeing the Sith war relic punctuating the edge of chancellor Palpatine's desk. It was a fleeting sensation, but he found it strange that such an ornament would constantly draw his attention. Pensive, he stood with his hands hidden in the sleeves of his robe, clasping his forearms. The sun had long rescinded beneath the Coruscant cityscape leaving the lights of traffic and office windows to illuminate the night. As he took in the intricate detailing on the hilt of the dagger, the possibility that someone in the chancellor's office could be directly involved in the plot to kill Padme was not far from his mind. His discussion with Bail Organa offered more insight into Padme's dealings. It only solidified the sinking feeling that was beginning to take hold. He knew he was just scratching the surface, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he might be on to something. At this point it appeared that Padme had entered dangerous ground and lost her life for it. Delving deeper into this prospect would likely spell the same danger for him. He eyed the black blade.

He raised his gaze toward the Chancellor, watching him as he spoke about the war effort. He instantly decided not to disclose anything or ask any questions toward staff members or interests. It was dangerous and too soon. There was still much to consider…and still much to discover.

Anakin slowly walked around the edge of the desk. "If the location of Dooku and Grievous were known, they would be as good as captured."

"And we would see an end to this dreadful war." Chancellor finished the thought seated behind his desk.

"Has there been any news on that effort?"

Chancellor Palpatine shook his white haired head. "I'm afraid my intel has not reported anything significant on the leads they've had thus far. At this point, there seems to be no progress made on either side." His gaze shifted away and his voice lowered as if speaking to himself, "Long has the status quo been maintained."

Looking back at Anakin, Palpatine continued, "If some of the neutral systems were to provide the necessary support, it possibly could turn the tide of the war. We are grossly lacking in more influential and inspirational voices in the senate."

"The delegates seem to be more interested in preserving their own system rather than the republic." Anakin said flatly.

The Chancellor agreed with a nod and sighed sadly, "It's moments such as this when I miss Padme the most. She was a truly gifted senator, one that could rally the support of many. It's a shame there aren't more like her," he spoke regretfully. "Padme was a dear to me. I knew she would make a gifted politician when she was first elected as queen. The absence of her voice is still keenly felt in the senate. Many of the senators, myself included, wish terribly to have her back."

Anakin lowered his gaze and walked toward the transparisteel window. He didn't reply but the sentiment was deeply shared. _So do I. _

The sentiment triggered something in Anakin. He felt a pressing need to ask his friend about a previously mentioned idea. Though part of him wanted to dismiss the curiosity, a growing part of him wanted to know more.

Chancellor Palpatine watched him carefully and said, "You seem better since the last time I saw you and yet…diminished."

"I don't think I will ever be the way I was when Padme was alive." He let his gaze bore into the distant darkening horizon.

Palpatine's voice grew soft and comforting. "Of course not…Who would expect you to be? Love changes you once it takes hold. And when it's suddenly gone, you are never same again."

"When I lost her, I–" Anakin shook his head slowly. "Nothing made sense anymore…It's still difficult living each day without her."

"That is a pain I couldn't fathom." Chancellor looked on his friend with sorrowful eyes. "The anniversary of her passing fast approaches. Do you have any plans?"

He didn't want to answer. An answer would indicate that he acknowledges this day exists. As much as he'd like to disavow the event the day marked, Padme's continued absence made that desire impossible. The anniversary of her death served as a reminder of his failure. He turned his head slightly toward the Chancellor and said, "No. I only intend to work on the case."

"What of your children? I so enjoyed their visits. My prayers have been with them ever since."

"I thank you, Chancellor." Anakin sighed realizing it had been more than a week since he last spoke to his children. With shame seeping further into his pores, he guessed, "I suppose they are alright."

"You suppose?" Palpatine's eyebrows rose.

"I haven't spoken to them in a few days." He returned his gaze back to the horizon.

"I hear term is resuming at the temple. They should be returning any day now."

Thankful Palpatine didn't delve into reason for his lack of communication with his children, Anakin nodded and turned toward him. "Yes. Even though I'll be busy with this investigation, I have to find time to see them."

"To see them? Where would they be if not with you?" Palpatine narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"I have arranged for them to stay at the temple until I'm finished."

"A precautionary measure?"

"Mostly," Anakin sighed, "But it also gives me time to conduct this investigation properly, especially now that it has picked up some momentum."

"Oh? What developments have you uncovered thus far?" Palpatine's every word was laced with intrigue.

Anakin re-thought his decision to not disclose any indicative information. Off the top of his head he considered suspects and immediately Sly Moore and Mas Ameda came to mind. These two have direct access to nearly anything and everything at the chancellor's disposal. Whatever indications he would discover, he couldn't involve the chancellor lest he be placed in danger. Anakin stuck by his initial decision.

"With all due respect, Chancellor, I need to play this close to the chest for now. Anything I divulge would be premature. I need to confirm a few things before I make anything known."

"Can you tell me whether the CSF's findings were correct? Was it just a horrific accident?"

Anakin paused and said grimly, "No. It wasn't."

Chancellor Palpatine's expression was unreadable. There was a brief moment of silence shared between the two men before he spoke again, "Anakin, you are one of the greatest in the Jedi Order…dare I say THE greatest of them all. I believe if the Jedi allowed you the freedom you needed in your missions, the war would have long been over by now. As much as the republic desperately needs you, it is understandable that your gifts are greatly needed here, finding out the truth behind Padme's death. I wish you well on your progress."

"Thank you, Chancellor."

Palpatine's words echoed in his mind at that moment. He could not deny the possibility of attaining a power great enough to do the impossible was truly alluring.

"_...use of the force to enhance premonitions, the ability to effect life and death, skills so powerful it could even be used to extract the specters of the departed, restoring them body and soul…"_

He lowered his gaze and said, "I have wanted to ask you about something that seems to have stuck in my mind since our last conversation."

"Certainly."

He turned to face his friend and said, "You told me once about bending the will of the force…" He continued after Palpatine nodded, "has anyone ever mastered such a power?"

Palpatine thought for a moment and said, "I know of a Sith legend…of Darth Plageius the wise." He looked at Anakin, "Are you familiar with that name?"

Curious, Anakin shook his head.

Palpatine scoffed lightly as if realizing the question was foolish. "I'm not surprised. Sith legends aren't something the Jedi would teach."

"Darth Plageius was a powerful dark lord of the Sith. He was invincible, unrivaled by any. He had mastered this uncanny power and could command the force to do his will. He possessed foresight without any uncertainties. He could even protect himself and others closest to him from death. With his knowledge and skill he made all means of attack and defense against him virtually ineffective." He turned his head and looked at Anakin and continued, "And he even recalled certain spirits from the netherworld of the force, restoring them completely. While he lived, no one dared to defy him. He feared nothing."

Intrigued by this legend, Anakin stepped closer to his mentor and asked, "What happened to him?"

"Unfortunately he passed this knowledge to his apprentice and the apprentice killed him as he slept." Palpatine shook his head, "It's ironic. He could save others from death but not himself."

"How do you know this to be true?"

"Has your faith in the force renewed?" Palpatine answered with a question.

Feeling the burn of his failure keenly, he turned his head away and said, "I don't feel the same way as I used to."

"What do you mean?"

Anakin turned his gaze scenery ahead. "I have lost my faith in the force."

Palpatine stood up and took several steps away from him. "Your mistrust does not lie in the force, but within yourself." He turned to face him, "I sense you are very angry with yourself."

Anakin could not deny this. The chancellor echoed Padme's words. But, his anger was already getting the better of him. He nearly killed Maeto during the interrogation. And now his anger was slowing evolving into hatred.

Palpatine continued, "To bend the will of the force, faith is irrelevant. Once you gain control of it, you are able to manipulate it as you see fit."

It bothered him to a degree that this power, while able to restore balance to him and his children's lives, was something unnatural. He didn't know if he was desperate enough to use such a method to bring her back. "It's not of the light."

"Indeed. The Jedi have taught you to let the force guide your actions. I will not lie to you, Anakin. This power is seated in the darkside of the force, but it is a great power. Only someone with a unique ability could do this. As I said before, it would mean controlling the force, not it controlling you."

"Using the darkside would require one to rely on their passions as fuel…and more intensely if they wished to control death." Anakin added, "…for example."

Palpatine nodded. "Passions such as pain and anger could fuel this connection. The more intense they are the more powerful the connection."

Anakin hesitated and shook his head. "This practice is unnatural and dark. The Jedi would never consider using such power."

"Perhaps that is why the darkside tends to cloud the judgment of those who choose to forsake it. They choose to utilize some instead of all. Therefore, they themselves are only half prepared. This same principle is probably the reason why they do not succeed in some missions." He narrowed his eyes.

Anakin nodded. "I'll admit some of the limitations the Jedi put on themselves tend to keep them from succeeding."

"The Jedi promote the pure and the natural," Palpatine stood beside Anakin and looked out at the landscape, "yet they believe in the suppression of emotions even though they are natural feelings." He glanced at Anakin. "Seems a bit contradictory and dogmatic to me, don't you think?"

"It's only to avoid treading the path of the darkside." Anakin looked over his shoulder at him. "Emotions can be unpredictable and lead to unpredictable outcomes."

"Is it fear of the unknown that repels them?"

"The consequences of straying from the light." Anakin countered.

Palpatine paused, "In your thoughts consider all that has been taken from you. Your mother. Your wife…why was they taken from you? Think about how these tragedies could have been prevented. And even though you might think you have isolated yourself from others to keep them safe, consider they can still be taken from you. How would you stop it from happening? All these things add up to one common denominator."

"I know." Anakin glanced at his mentor, "But it would go against my training, my-"

"You are no longer a Jedi knight. This would not require you to completely forsake the right and take the left. Instead you would straddle the line between the two and incorporate a natural fluidity."

Anakin remained silent.

"As you investigate this tragedy, do not forget who you are. You are a child of the force. You must embrace both sides of it. Use it to make right what went wrong. With this knowledge, what happened to Padme would never happen again. Your children will always be safe from any harm."

Padme's plea reverberated off the walls in his mind. _I need you now more than ever. Please Anakin. I need you strong again… so that you can help us_. 

"But bringing someone back from the dead?" Anakin took several steps away from him and allowed a moment to pass before continuing. "It just doesn't sound possible."

"I have seen many things in my lifetime, Anakin. The force allows one to cross the divide between what's possible and impossible. You know this."

Anakin sighed. Taking several moments to consider Palpatine's words, he realized that the depth of his friend's knowledge had yet to be seen. That had always intrigued him. It wasn't often that someone without force sensitivity would know so much about it. "How do you know all this?"

"My mentor taught me many things. He exposed me to many philosophies and walks of life. The ability to do this is something only reserved for a selected few." He took several steps toward Anakin. "You are an extremely exceptional force sensitive, possessing a power unlike any other. The great existential mystery may be perceived as unnatural, cruel and biased, but to truly understand it one must grasp all of it. I have never understood that aspect of Jedi way," He glanced at Anakin. "…where one was not allowed rise to their full potential, especially if it required crossing that line between dark and light. It seems self-destructive to me. If both sides of the force were mastered, there would never be an unanswerable challenge."

For nearly a year, Anakin had become a slave to his grief. The possibility of finding freedom from the infinite loop of pain and heartache was startling. It was a chance to right the wrongs. It was now within his grasp to elevate to a power higher than any had ever achieved and live up to his full potential. It was a chance to return his wife to the life she deserved to have and the mother the children needed. It even held the possibility of him going as far back as reclaiming the mother he'd lost so long ago. But it went against every teaching and tenet he followed since he was a boy. It would go against everything he stood for as a Jedi Knight. It would negate the principles behind every act and mission he completed. It would undo every word and sentiment expressed. It would be a complete betrayal of the man he is. The question still remained…_Is the price to pay for protecting the children and bringing Padme back too great? _

Conflicted, Anakin miserably turned around to face the chancellor, "Where could one learn this power?"

"From one deep in the lore of the darkside…a Sith Lord."


	14. fourteen

**Fourteen**

_The passing of the days since her death seemed as long as lifetime. It seemed the galaxy would spend an eternity mourning the loss of a great senator and voice of the people. Anakin could not find the strength to attend her funeral and retain his sanity. Her supposed burial was a token gesture since there were no remains—meaningless as far as he was concerned. At every turn there was another request for his presence at yet another memorial in her honor. Eventually, Anakin resorted to seclusion in the east wing of the apartment he shared with the children and Dorme. He relied solely on her and Threepio as his go between with the public. The commemorative statue erected in her honor on Coruscant as well as Naboo was said to have an uncanny likeness and was wrought by the same hand. Despite the pleading of close friends Anakin refused to attend the unveiling. He desperately needed to keep his grief private. _

_Jobal's entry into the room in which Anakin now spent most of his time nearly went unnoticed. He was so deeply wrapped in his cocoon of sorrow and guilt that it seemed either his senses were beginning to dull or he was starting not to care anymore. He stood before the window in Padme's office and felt the leaves of the plant perched on the sill. His gaze, though distant, bore into the green leaves. _

_Jobal's voice was soft as she spoke, "The service was beautiful, Anakin. The commemorative statue exceeded my expectations. I'm amazed at how much detail Palo was able to capture." Her voice lowered, as she mentally revisited the image. "So life-like."_

_Anakin didn't respond. _

_She stepped closer with eyebrows raised, "Have you heard any word from the detectives on any leads?"_

_Not turning to face her, he simply shook his head. _

_Jobal sighed. She had made it her business to stay close to Anakin and the children since the days following Padme's death. She had hoped to she could help keep them together, help Anakin shoulder some of the children's grief and that somehow they would be able to carry on._

"_I'm worried about you, Anakin. You've barely left the apartment since the day we lost her. It's been three months. Please tell me what I can do to help you." She began to nervously wring her hands. _

_There was a long silence that passed and each moment only intensified her concern. "You've been practically silent all this time. Talk to me, Anakin. Say something."_

_He only shifted his head slightly toward his left and said, "I need you to take Luke and Leia for a while."_

_Certainly it wasn't an issue for her or Ruwee, but it did come at a surprise. This was not what she had planned. Jobal knew that Anakin and the children were most important in her departed daughter's life. After the few days of grieving for her daughter, Jobal turned her focus toward what remained of the family and aimed to hold them together. Anakin's request certainly came as a shock. She'd grown close to him over the years and often found herself caring for him as she would her own daughters. She stood only meters behind Anakin wishing he'd face her, to see his eyes and gauge the toll his grief had upon him. _

_He shifted his head back toward the plant. "I want you and Ruwee to look after them for me. Dorme will go with you and assist in any way she can for as long as you need." He shook his head. "I-I can't give them what they need."_

"_What do you mean?" Jobal couldn't help the trepidation lacing her tone. She didn't like the idea of Anakin dealing with his grief alone not mention the idea of taking the kids from him._

"_I know I'm not grieving alone. I don't think I could survive losing a child and I already know what it's like to lose a mother. Right now the best thing for them is be with family that can help them through this."_

"_Perhaps, but you need them as well." The rustle of her dark red dress seemed loud in the deafening silence." And they need you. You can help them heal better than we ever could."_

"_That may be true under different circumstances, but I'm missing something. Something I had when Padme was alive. It's gone now….and I don't know how to get it back…or even if I want it back."_

_Jobal noted a half empty bottle of liquor on the edge of Padme's desk, and like a switch, her resolve strengthened. _

_She has seen this before. Unwanted memories resurfaced from the oppression of her will. She allowed it to trickle into her tone. "Drinking certainly will not help."_

_Ignoring her comment, he continued. "They need and deserve something I cannot provide." He paused and asked softly. "Will you take them?"_

_Jobal pulled her black lace shawl tighter around her and moved closer. She tilted the bottle back far enough to read the label in the waning evening light. "I know you are suffering. We all are, but right now we need to support each other. We need to help the children through this together. They are so young and cannot comprehend this trauma. Pushing them away is not the answer." _

"_I've barely mustered the will and the strength to ask this of you and Ruwee. I barely find the will to open my eyes each day. I want to fix it, but…" He lowered his head and shook it as if defeated. "I just – I can't."_

"_They need you, Anakin." _

_Anakin looked at her over his shoulder and growled in annoyance, "They don't need a father that wants to join his wife!" It was the first time Anakin could see that she aged 10 years since Padme died. As he met her gaze he was startled by her eyes…they reminded him so much of Padme's. He turned his head away from her, as if the sight stung. He wasn't alone in this battle._

_Her eyes went wide. "You don't mean that!" Jobal's eyes flashed, "Anakin, you can't mean that! That's incredibly selfish! Luke and Leia cannot bear to lose both parents…one by tragedy and the other by choice."_

_He spun toward her, facing her head on. "You think I would choose that? I'd choose to have her back and make my family whole again. But right now it's broken! A gaping hole exists in her place! She was taken from us, Jobal! Taken!"_

"_Please don't do this, Anakin." Jobal shook her head, not wanting to be reminded of damage inflicted by her departure._

_Anakin sighed miserably and with a grief laden voice he said, "I've lost a parent. I will not betray Luke and Leia. I will not re-visit this pain on them."_

_Her shoulders dropped slightly as a strange relief settled in her stomach. It was a temporary reprieve. He wouldn't take his own life, but that didn't mean he would move on from this or that the children would have their father back. _

_Jobal could feel the desperation start to take hold. "Come with us, Anakin. Come to Naboo. I know you love it there. You will find peace there."_

_Anakin turned his gaze aside. It was a look of a burdened man bound by duty. His eyes filled with guilt, shame and reluctance. He replied just above a whisper, "My place is here."_

_The reprieve suddenly gone, Jobal could feel the anxiety beginning to rise again. Her eyes darting around the office. "It's this apartment. You should to move out. It's only allowing your grief and sorrow to fester. It's breaking you apart, Anakin."_

"_It's all I have left of her. I have to be here."_

"_That is a load of Bantha poodoo and you and I both know it!" Jobal's outburst drew Anakin's gaze. "Padme will live on in our hearts and in our memories. If it's location that triggers your memory, then Varykino would be the best option right now. There is where you fell in love with her, where you married her…where Luke and Leia were born. You have to let go and move on, Anakin. She wouldn't want you to suffer like this. It's been three months since she died, and you have not once gone up those stairs to the bedroom! You are sleeping in the guest room. You barely speak to anyone. You are punishing yourself. You cannot carry this alone. Luke and Leia will need you to make sense of this."_

"_I can't make sense of this. Don't you see?" Anakin answered with pleading eyes. He never looked more defeated as he spoke. "It's my fault she's dead. I said horrible things to her. I let her go. I wasn't fast enough. I should've tried harder, did more to save her. How could I face them knowing this?" He looked away._

_For the first time in weeks, she could see the depth of his grief. Padme once described his eyes as being bluer than the Nubian sky. Captivated by how drastically they changed, she couldn't help but to notice that now they'd grown dull, almost having a grayish tinge. Anakin's youthful face had seemed care-worn and forlorn in the waning light. There was a shadow creeping around his jaw. He hadn't shaved in a few days. It was clear that Anakin was on a slippery slope. With tears streaming down her cheeks, Jobal placed a hand on his arm. "You tried to stop her. She didn't listen. Padme had a strong will. No one lets her or stops her from doing anything. No one blames you."_

_Anakin could not meet her gaze. "I blame myself."_

"_Anakin, your children love you!"_

"_And I love them." Anakin said raising his head. Anakin shifted on his feet and placed a gloved hand on his waist. He pinched the bridge of his nose with the thumb and index of the opposite hand. "Jobal, you offered to help me."_

"_I did and I still do."_

_He dropped his hand and looked at her. "Then help me help them. Take Luke and Leia and look after them for me."_

_It was pointless to argue. She realized he was too far gone in his grief to think clearly and only he would make sense of it for himself. Jobal sighed and nodded. "Very well, Anakin. We will take them."_

_Anakin nodded slightly, "I will keep in touch as often as I can."_

"_In your solitude please consider your actions and how they will affect them." Jobal's eyes rested on the now visible half empty glass of liquor sitting on the window sill next to the plant. It deeply bothered her because she had seen this before. "Beware of how you deal with your grief, Anakin. My father thought he'd find answers at the bottom of a glass and only found more misery."_

The ride up in the elevator seemed to mirror the steady buildup of anticipation Anakin felt. He hadn't personally seen his children in almost a year. And though there has been communication between them, he was ashamed that he could not be the father they needed or deserved. He knew they would have questions for him and a desire to spend more time with him, but for now, Anakin would have to resist. Too much was at stake and the potential for danger was too high to even consider having them so close.

The Diplomat hotel was famous for its contemporary elegance as well as its efficiency in catering to comforts of their guests. It was a place favored by celebrities, public figures and the influential across many systems.

The elevator door opened, revealing the end of a vast curved corridor bathed in shades of taupe, brown, and muted red. Stepping out of the elevator, he walked along the curvature of the hall. The tufted carpet, which muffled his footsteps, bore a modest red and brown pattern along its center as it followed the building's semi-circular layout. The textured walls showcased paintings of scenic vistas and various intriguing abstracts, and simple yet contemporary in-wall lamps. The doors he passed along the hall were solid cherry wood presumably imported from the best locales. Every few feet stood a large vase nearly half of Anakin's height, containing the tall stems of Felucian flowers whose luminous petals towered over him in the dimly lit expanse.

Padme was so well loved and respected among the people that she and her family were granted the privilege of staying at any Diplomat Hotel in the galaxy gratis…gratitude for her success in securing desperately needed aid to the owner's home world during the early stages of the Clone war.

As Anakin followed the curvature of the corridor, he could sense the presence of both Luke and Leia. He could feel their excitement rise suddenly. It wasn't long before he heard a door open followed by the crescendo of small running feet. Anakin couldn't help the smile tugging on the corner of his mouth. From around the bend appeared the first child, Leia. The small child ran towards him as fast as her legs could carry her. Her long brown hair was pulled away from her face and secured with a white band. It was remarkable how much she favored her mother.

"Daddy!" Leia shouted. "Daddy!"

Without processing the thought, Anakin dropped to one knee and scooped her into his arms. He kissed her and held her close.

"Oh, Daddy. I missed you so much."

Anakin pulled away enough to see her face. "Did you think I would miss your return to the temple?"

Leia didn't answer. Instead she cast saddened eyes downward. It was a sign that her confidence in her father had slipped.

Her point well received, Anakin took her in his arms again and said, "I've miss you more than you know, Leia."

Realizing he was missing another child, he looked up and saw Luke standing just feet away. He was hesitant and worried, something a child should never feel. Anakin could sense that he was the object of the anticipation. It had become clear that his distance, though meant to spare them his misery, only harmed them. It was something he never saw in the holotransmissions that went back and forth. Luke favored him so much. He had the same blonde hair as he had at that age. However, the familiar cerulean blue eyes were sad. Anakin could sense Luke was happy to see him but concerned by the toll Padme's death had on him.

Anakin's heart shook with the realization of how miserable they been without him. With Leia in his right arm, he held out the left and called for his son. "Come here, Luke."

Luke slowly moved forward and said in a small voice, "I've missed you, Daddy."

Anakin smiled halfheartedly, trapped between concern and joy. "I know. I missed you too."

Luke threw his arms around Anakin's neck, and Anakin wrapped his left arm around his son. He kissed each child and stood up, carrying them back to the suite. He could feel the tears beginning to well in his eyes and did his best hold them back.

For the first time in over a year joy had begun to reclaim a small portion of his heart. It was a foreign feeling that he didn't bother resisting. He passed through the open door of the suite and found Padme's father walking towards the door.

"Anakin!" Though he smiled at the reunited trio, Ruwee didn't do much to hide the concern in his eyes. Upon seeing the young father enter with the children in his arms, he had hoped that this would be a start in overcoming his grief. He patted Anakin's back and said, "It's good to see you again, son."

Anakin nodded, "It's good to see you too." He leaned down and placed the children back on the floor.

Immediately he was greeted by the scent of Jobal's infamous cooking. Jobal appeared from a room in the rear of the suite, drying her hands on a towel. She looked up and smiled brightly upon seeing Anakin standing in the livingroom. She approached and embraced him, "My dear Anakin, it's been so long."

She pulled away and lightly wiped away a fresh tear that had begun its descent down her cheek. She cleared her throat.

Anakin's eyes darted around the room, "Where's Dorme?"

"She will be arriving from Naboo tomorrow. There were just some errands she had to take care before she left. The children have been anxious these past couple of days. They couldn't wait to see you." Jobal smiled and glanced at the children now tightly hugging each of Anakin's legs.

Looking down at his children, Anakin replied, "I felt the same way too."

"Dinner was delicious, Jobal. Thank you." Anakin allowed a small smile. Jobal and Ruwee asked that he address them as mom and dad years ago.

"Don't thank me, Anakin. After all, you're family." Jobal smiled. "I'll prepare something for you to take with you."

"No, I couldn't—" Anakin raised a gloved hand. He wasn't surprised she'd offered.

"Don't waste your breath, son." Ruwee shook his graying head. "She's sending some food with you, like it or not."

Anakin smiled at them.

Jobal allowed a moment to pass before asking the question Anakin dreaded answering. "Are you still staying at the apartment?"

The smile disappeared. It was a question he managed to avoid in all the transmissions that passed between them. He shifted slightly on the couch and said, "You know I am."

Jobal and Ruwee exchanged looks of concern.

"We had hoped you'd have moved by now." Ruwee leaned forward in his easy chair, resting his forearms on his knees. Concern was evident on his face as he laced his fingers together.

"I can't." Uncomfortable, Anakin stood up and walked around the sofa, "I have a lot going on right now. I can't just pack up and go." He turned his back and moved closer to the contemporary sculpture seated in a niche.

"Do you plan to once this investigation is over?" Jobal asked guardedly.

"I don't know." Anakin said absently running a finger along the base of the artwork.

"Anakin, you can't seriously think–" Ruwee started.

"It's as close as I'll ever be to her." Anakin said turning around. "It was our home. The happiest memories of my life took place there."

"It's also how you punish yourself." Jobal harkened back to their year old conversation.

Anakin didn't answer. He looked back to the artwork and sighed.

Jobal continued. "The same is true for Luke and Leia…except they are only five years old. The pain is almost too great for them to bear."

"What are you two getting at?" Anakin looked at them slightly annoyed.

"Those children expect to be reunited with you. They have accepted that they will stay at the temple temporarily. But eventually they are going to want to resume some sort of normalcy with you." Jobal sat back in her seat.

"I just—I don't think I can give them that."

"Damn it, Anakin. You have to try." Ruwee shook his head. "You don't understand how deeply your absence has affected them. While you punished yourself for her passing, you have also punished Luke and Leia in the process."

Anakin blinked. He certainly could see his distance affected them negatively but never considered it as punishing them.

"In the first months after Padme's death and after we took them, the children were not themselves. They didn't play. They didn't laugh. They barely ate. They rarely spoke to us." Jobal spoke with tears prickling her eyes. "Luke would be prone to bouts of depression, while Leia would easily get frustrated and act out. It's heartbreaking to see such little ones go through this pain. We were desperate to find help for them and reached out to a grief counselor."

"There was some progress, but more is needed. All the therapy in the galaxy will not help them. They need that missing element to help them make peace with it all..." Ruwee added, "You."

Anakin furled his brow. He was very close with the children, especially after Padme became more and more involved with her work. He was involved with their daily life and knew everything about their day. And now he knew nothing.

"They were hurting, Anakin. Terribly hurting. Padme's death left a gaping scar, one that we as grandparents could never heal." Ruwee explained.

"They need their father desperately. Today is the happiest I have ever seen for Luke and Leia. Not since before we lost Padme…" Jobal faltered briefly. Ruwee held her hand as she continued. "Even though you feel you are in no position to help them, you must try to overcome this. Don't let your grief rob your children of a father. It would be unfair if they lost both parents to the same tragedy."

"I love them more than life itself." Anakin eyes focused on both Padme's parents. "I would never abandon them."

"Then tell them that, Anakin. They need to hear it from you." Jobal pleaded.

Leia and Luke chased each other from one side of their shared bedroom to the other. Their laughter filled the room with a joyous energy that was palpable. Anakin and Jobal couldn't help the smile already forming on their faces. Long had it been since Luke and Leia played together so joyously. Leaning against the doorway, Anakin watched as Jobal settled the children down to begin the nightly tradition of a bedtime story. Luke and Leia listened intently with delighted eyes that occasionally glanced anxiously in their father's direction. Anakin watched his children and his mother-in-law and instantly remembered a time when Padme would tell the children stories before bed. The smile on his face slowly faded.

He remembered he would often stand in the doorway of the children's room watching, as Padme would tell them stories that she was told as a child. He remembered that sometimes she would spontaneously her own stories. The children would laugh and clap their little hands at the characters she'd create. He loved her imagination. He never forgot that she would always end the story with "…_and_ e_verything would be alright_." The children were able to bring out another dimension to Padme that he had never known and completely enjoyed. He didn't know it was possible to fall in love with her again, but he did…over and over again.

Jobal stood, leaned over and gave each child a goodnight kiss. She turned and walked out of the room, patting Anakin's shoulder as she passed through the door. Anakin offered a brief nod and looked back at the children. The energy slowly faded from the room. Through their strengthening bond he could sense they were afraid they would not see him again. Looking at each child, he could feel their anxiety and their dread. What remained of his heart nearly crumbled. They were no longer laughing or smiling. For two so young, they should not have experience such trauma. Anakin sighed as he walked toward them and sat on Luke's bed. They immediately climbed out of their beds and sat on their father's lap, clearly a collaborated effort. One sat on each lap. It was their attempt to keep him from leaving. Anakin accepted what he'd been inadvertently doing to them. He never expected or meant to hurt them this way, to make them insecure and create a sense of instability.

Anakin thought back to the months following Padme's death. Luke and Leia only saw their father for brief snatches of time. He remembered hearing their voices as they returned home from the academy, listening as they told Dorme of day's events. He wanted so much to be a part of that, but he couldn't…grief had taken hold and debilitated him. He remembered the night before he sent them away with their grandparents. He stood in the doorway to their room and watched them sleep. They were the most precious in the galaxy. They were all he had left in the world and it hurt so much to let them go. He remembered Luke stirring in his sleep and waking briefly to see his father's silhouette. It was an unspoken moment between them, but somehow Luke understood what was happening.

"Being away from me has made you both sad." Anakin stated solemnly.

The two nodded.

"I know you both have gone through a hard time. That's my fault. I know what it's like to lose a mother and I think I made it worse by not being there for you when you needed me." He lowered his gaze. "I'm very sorry for that."

"You miss Mommy." Luke said softly. "And you're sad."

"Yes. I am. So sad that it made me…" Anakin hesitated as he searched for the appropriate word to describe depression and alcoholism. "…sick, and I allowed it to distract me from what's important."

"I forgive you, Daddy." Leia leaned against his chest.

"Me too." Luke nodded his head.

"I'm working very hard to set things right again."

The children looked up and smiled back at him.

"Are you excited about returning to the academy?" Anakin asked.

They both nodded.

Leia straightened to face her father. "Grandpa told us we are staying at the temple for a while."

"Yes. That's true."

"Why Daddy?" Leia asked.

"There is something really important that I have to do." Anakin shook his head slowly. "And I don't want it to interfere with your training. You two have to focus on your lessons."

"You think we will distract you?" It was more of an assumptive statement than a question. Leia kept her eyes locked on her father's face, while rubbing the material of his tunic between her fingers.

Amazed at Leia's precociousness, Anakin answered his daughter. "No. I wish I could have you two with me, but I can't."

"Why?" Leia asked tenaciously.

Anakin smiled amazed at how much she reminded him of Padme…persistent and intelligent. Leia wanted answer. Not just any answer would suffice. She was too perceptive to accept an answer treading the divide between a lie and the truth, he opted for the truth. "I'm doing something for Mommy and I need to keep the two of you safe, while I do it. The Jedi temple is the safest place you can be right now."

"If it's something for Mommy we want to help." Luke piped up.

"No, no, no, Luke. You can't," Anakin shook his head. "You both are too young and too precious to me."

"But we've been practicing. We can help you." Luke pleaded.

"I'm sure you both have improved your skills during the hiatus and I love that you want to help. Your mother would be so proud. But you are too young to help me."

There was a brief moment of silence that passed between the two children. Their gazes connected with each other briefly before Leia broke contact. She morosely lowered her gaze.

"Daddy?" Luke asked, eyes still locked on his sister.

"Hmm?"

"Are you going to die?" Luke asked guardedly. Despite the little boy's attempt to prevent his voice from betraying him, Anakin could still sense his fear.

Anakin looked at his son and shook his head. "No, Luke."

Another small voice echoed yet another fear, "Are you going to leave us?" Leia didn't raise her gaze to meet her father.

He rubbed Luke's back and placed a curled finger under Leia's chin. "I will never leave you. I promise."

"We miss Mommy so much." Luke and Leia threw their arms around their father's neck and each other.

It was then that he realized the importance of leaving the apartment. After being away from home so long, he couldn't allow them to live there again. It would undo any progress made. Luke would likely relapse into depression, while Leia resumed her temper tantrums. It would mirror the aversion he had to the Lars farmstead. If they were going to be a family again, he had fight his way through his grief and find a way to let go. However this now conflicted with the opportunity Palpatine had presented. There was a chance that everything lost could be restored, and he needed only to claim the full power available to him. Perhaps, either way a new home would be in order. It would present a fresh start for them all.

"Me too." He held them both close in his arms, placing kisses on each head. "I promise things will get better soon." He paused and said, "…and everything will be alright."


	15. fifteen

**Fifteen**

It had been over two years since Republic forces last traveled this far into the Tion Hegemony sector. The Separatist sieges in the outer rim of the third and fourth quadrants have forced Republic numbers to grow thin, allowing them to reclaim some of their lost territory, including the Raxus System.

Having made the decision that flying a lone fighter through the last stretch of Separatist space would be less detectable than a cruiser, Obi-wan piloted his ship keeping text only communications with cruiser. This was necessary to avoid arousing the unwanted attention of the Separatist forces. Obi-wan had no idea of what to expect on Raxus's debris-ridden surface. His last memory involved rescuing a senator being held for ransom and it wasn't entirely pleasant.

As he checked the scanners on the console, his thoughts went back to Anakin. He had hoped that his words had the desired effect, that Anakin would realize guilt and his inability to forgive himself was holding him back. Obi-wan recognized the progress Anakin had made since he returned from his last tour and wanted so much that his friend would not relapse into losing himself in his absence.

He considered the closeness of term resuming at the Academy and realized Luke and Leia would be returning to Coruscant soon. As far as he was concerned the timing couldn't have been better. Obi-wan knew as well as anyone close to the Skywalkers that Luke, Leia and Anakin needed each other. They needed their father to complete their healing, and he needed them to maintain the healing. While this is a dangerous time for them to be in Coruscant, Obi-wan knew it would only force Anakin to put all the guilt and the blame aside to keep them safe.

Raxus Prime seemed to be a hybrid of nature and technology. It was a junk planet that appeared to be devoid of anything green and pure. Most of the surface appeared to be covered in a thick atmosphere that reflected the light of its sun, and sealed in the toxic fumes emanating from what was the terra cotta. A whistle called Obi-wan's attention briefly, as they passed into the outer layers of the atmosphere. He turned to his left to see his astromech droid turning a red eye toward him.

"No, R5. It won't be necessary. Maintain radio silence until we have cleared the sector."

It was unclear whether Hoyt would still be here. It would be unclear what he would find under the jagged edges of dead ships and parts long cast away. Obi-wan continued toward the surface and only hoped that he could pass through the atmosphere and land undetected.

As he neared the surface, Obi-wan raised his head. There was a field of debris that floated just above the surface. There were various fragments of hardware, great and small that glided around from one area to another, adding to the rusty hue of the sky. Instead of mountains, rolling hills and vast plains of greenery, there was an infinite stretch of junked and scrapped ships, droids, components and various other types of metal. In the places where a view beyond the scrap metal could be offered, there were pools of luminescent toxic waste. Though the air was breathable, enduring the planet's toxic atmosphere still required protective measures. Worn beneath his robe, Obi-wan opted for black gloves, selected pieces of clone armor and a black mask that hung loosely around his neck. He checked his navigator and verified the location of Count Dooku's stronghold was not far. He quietly set the ship down in a small clearing far away enough not to be seen by any patrols. Before raising the domed access cover of his ship, he positioned the mask to cover his nose and mouth and pulled his hood over his head. He stepped out of the ship and turned to R5.

"R5, run a scan of the area and plot the best route to take."

An antenna rose from the hull of the ship, a small satellite dish opened up and made two revolutions before retracting into the ship. The droid eye, a holographic image of a map appeared and the exact route lined out in red.

"Excellent. It shouldn't take too long to get there. But I will have to be extra careful. I'm certain there are sentinels making patrols." Obi-wan looked around cautiously and turned back to the droid. "Send a text communication to Captain Fassel. Let him know that I have made contact on Raxus and I'm moving toward the stronghold now. See that this message also reaches Anakin on Coruscant , after that shutdown all signals and transmissions until I contact you."

After a short affirmative whistle from the droid, Obi-wan turned and started along a small pathway indicated on the map and began his way toward the stronghold.

* * *

Coruscant contained every aspect expected of a city including the darker, lesser known and more dangerous places. It was raining. Soft thuds sounded as heavy drops of rain made contact with his robe. He covered his head immediately as the rain fall gradually increased. It wasn't long before his footsteps sounded as it made contact with the puddles on the streets of Coruscant's inner city. It had been several years since he last ventured along these roughly hewn streets. The passersby were of no consequence to him and of course they returned the sentiment. Most of them were preoccupied with finding their next fix or selling someone theirs. Some were looking for victims while others were about to be. Whatever transactions and perpetrations abounded around him, Anakin Skywalker could not allow himself to be distracted or misdirected.

Standing at the corner were two scantily clad women, one taller than the other, both lasciviously curling their fingers toward him. While one blew a kiss toward him another caressed herself slowly and erotically, sliding her hands up and down her body. They were moaning and pleading to show him a good time. With a dismissive snort, Anakin turned off the street. Clearly he was getting closer to his destination.

The alleyway was poorly lit and less busy than the main street intersecting it, but still had several dodgy characters dotted through to the other end of the alley. There were several closed shops, poorly maintained homes, various unsavory alcoves filled with garbage and dirty mattresses. Anakin finally stopped in front a small building. There were only three floors and a front yard and barely a reason to have a fence around the front of the property, yet there it was. There were garbage cans filled to brim, another dirty heavily worn mattress laying flat across from the cans. The walk way was cluttered with bits of garbage that couldn't fit in the can. The ground was cracked and uneven in some spots. Punctuating the front entrance were four unsavory characters, talking, laughing and carousing amongst themselves. As Anakin drew closer, they turned and sized him up. One stretched out a hand, halting him from entering the building. He could sense the others surrounding him.

A gruff voice sounded to right, "What's your business here?"

Anakin, recognizing him to be manager of the establishment, glanced at him. "I have an appointment."

Unsatisfied with answer, the manager asked, "With who?"

"Are you going to see Drucilla?" A scraggly gaunt regular said from Anakin's left. "She's good. She can make the devil sing any song she wants!"

Another voice sounded behind Anakin, "Please! How would you know, Tiny? You are one trick she would never turn. You can't put broken old down parts in a new ship. She scared whatever you got might rub off and end up looking like you!" Raucous Laughter erupted among the men.

"What'cha talkin' bout? I'm good."

"Yeah, good and terrible." The wry response alluded to more laughter.

Anakin, anxious to put some distance between himself and the men, simply answered, "I'm here to see Lonina."

The name echoed through the group and several eyesbrows rose. The laughter immediately died down, changing into ooo's. Looks of surprise, doubt, and envy were exchanged.

"Now that one? She's the newest addition. But I recommend you see her when you don't have to work the next day. You're going to need a day to recover! The last guy that went to see her had to be carried out. Whoa!"

The manager lowered his hand and allowed Anakin to pass. As Anakin entered the building and walked along the hall he could still hear their voices.

Anakin moved along the long corridor which led to a court yard. In the courtyard he turned left and followed a path until he stopped at a door marked with the number 3. He knocked and after a few seconds the door opened.

A woman appeared with thick long wavy black hair, eyes a shade of vivid green he had never seen before. Her glossed full lips were moist, inviting the onlooker to taste. She wore a long white tunic that reached the floor and only hinted at the dangerous curves beneath them. The V shaped collar suggested a well endowed bust. Long mid thigh slits ran along both sides of the tunic allowing glimpses of long toned thighs. Her mocha skin was smooth and flawless. With a manicured hand on her hip, she tossed her head back and smiled slyly.

Anakin removed his hood, hoping that Threepio recorded the correct address when he took the message.

She didn't bother hiding that his features greatly pleased her. Her eyes drank him in as her lips pulled together to form an 'O'.

"Anakin Skywalker, how I've been expecting you." She said boldly as she narrowed her eyes and smiled.

"Are you Lonina?"

"I am. Please, come in." Her voice was buttery soft and soothing. She took two steps to the side and extended an arm ushering him in.

The inner quarters was adorned elegantly and modestly in shades of brown and red. Closing the door, she said, "I'm very pleased to meet you, Anakin. You may call me, Silver."

He could hear the charm bracelet on her ankle jingle as she moved around him.

She smirked recognizing the confusion on Anakin's face. "Lonina is my alias."

Her hair shifted slightly offering him a glimpse at a rarely seen tattoo, a shield with two spears crossed over it. He recognized it but said nothing.

She raised her hand, palm up and asked, "May I take your robe?"

Anakin shook his head. "No, thank you. I'm fine."

Silver smiled again, "I see that." She turned around and said, "Come with me."

He followed her bare feet toward the back of her quarters and through another door.

Sitting at a table was a man not more than shoulder height and not older than Obi-wan by Anakin's estimate. He wore a weathered leather jacket and was outing a cyberette in a tray. He had short red hair that matched the shadow growing along his jaw. It appeared as if he hadn't been there long before Anakin arrived. He stood up and extended a hand to shake.

"Skywalker." His gravelly voice was a stark contrast to a body his age and size. "Keets Freely." Immediately Anakin recognized his voice from the last vision of Padme.

Shaking his hand, Anakin remained guarded not entirely knowing whether this man could be trusted or why he decided to come out of hiding to contact him. Nothing was clear. Threepio had received a message that someone who had information and resources helpful to the investigation wanted to meet him at this particular brothel. Anakin noticed the activated audio disruptor on the table.

"I'm glad you showed up. I know the location made the decision to come a bit dubious, but it was necessary." He paused reading Anakin's next question. "If you were seen entering a place like this no one would suspect you are meeting me."

Anakin looked over his shoulder at Silver.

"Silver's okay. She works with me." Looking pointedly around the room, he continued, "This is just a cover, so we could meet and not arouse suspicion."

Still looking at Silver, Anakin addressed her. "You were a member of the King's court." It came out more as a statement than a question.

"She was a lady of Feros King's harem. Their beauty is as legendary as their combat skills are deadly. They were his personal guard and she was prized among them. He so favored her that he intended to make her first lady of the harem."

"One cannot simply leave the court. It's forbidden and impossible."

"Silver is a woman of many abilities."

"Feros King was murdered." Reading Anakin's curiosity, Silver answered with an impish smile. "Poison. Perhaps that is a story best left for another time." She turned and walked toward the door saying, "Call me if you need anything, gentlemen."

Keets watched her leave and shook his head. "I'd probably be dead now, if it wasn't for her."

He gestured at the chair opposite him and took a seat himself.

Anakin sat and asked, "Why did you contact me?"

"I was told by a mutual friend that you would need my help solving this case."

"A mutual friend?" Anakin's eyes narrowed.

"Bail Organa."

"Then you already know that I want to know what my wife was involved in before she died."

"Bail said you were a trustworthy man and I've done my research on you. But before I disclose any information, there is something I must be sure of." Keets narrowed his eyes slightly. "It is no big secret that you and Paplatine are close. Bail has told me you assured him Palpatine will not be informed of your findings. He risks his and his family's safety by telling you what he knows. Bail is an intelligent man. But I've known intelligent men who have been betrayed by those who were easily deceived, caught between loyalties or lied too well. The question is…which one will you become?"

"Neither, because the integrity of this investigation means a great deal to me. I know that though I am friends with chancellor, my loyalty still remains with Padme. I know it's too dangerous to let anyone aware of the findings, regardless of who they are. I also know you are not one to waste time. If you had any doubts about me, I wouldn't be sitting here right now."

Keets looked at Anakin for a few moments and said, "Glad to see we understand each other." He pulled a cyberette from the inner pocket of his leather jacket. "Mind if I smoke?"

Anakin gave the slightest indication to the negative, and Keets ignited it. He stood up and walked towards the brown curtains that covered the window. "What I'm about to divulge will be unpleasant. You remain close to the chancellor because you don't know or believe what he has done or is capable of." He peeked a cautious eye around a small opening and watched for any suspicious passersby.

Anakin raised a gloved hand. "Bail has already issued the disclaimer and I have accepted the terms."

"Good. Then I will start from the beginning." He said turning from the window. There was a pause before Keets spoke again. "After being removed from power, Finis Valorum started keeping tabs on the Chancellor, staying in touch with various contacts in the senate, keeping a few steps ahead of the media and keeping abreast of the chancellor's movements. He always harbored some suspicion on the way the 'vote of no confidence' went down."

"Well that makes total sense. He was impeached because he refused to act on behalf of Naboo." Anakin causally explained. "He'd probably be suspicious of any predecessor."

"Valorum's distrust was specific to Palpatine. What everyone else saw in that senate rotunda was just the surface. It was meant to be seen on the outside."A stream of smoke issued from his nose. "At the start of the clone wars, I was a reporter working for the Corsucant Times. I was investigating a senator that used funds from special interest groups to finance his re-election campaign and other various personal ventures. I decided to dig at little more into the motives of one of the sponsors and discovered a little more than I expected." He glanced at Anakin and started slowly pacing back and forth. "It turned out that the IGBC was buying influence from several judicial figures, senators and representatives."

"The Banking Clan." Anakin answered knowingly.

"Many were using this money for a broad range of discrepancies from personal to political. This broadened the scale of corruption."

Anakin leaned his head on left hand, supporting with his thumb and index finger. He kept his steady gaze on Keets. "Did you report this?"

"I tried." He said shrugging his brow and sighing. "Unfortunately, my editor wouldn't publish my findings. He said he didn't want the paper's long standing reputation tarnished by publishing an article that could incite dissention." He smirked nostalgically, "It took every ounce of me not to kill him."

"So what did you do?"

He chuckled as he twisted the cyberette into the ashtray. "I left him lying on his back, counting shaak." Anakin half smiled. Keets continued, "Discovering the truth and reporting it is what I do. It's pointless if it meant sacrificing the truth and my integrity as a reporter." He took a seat across from Anakin and continued. "Anyway, it wasn't long before Valorum found me and we got to talking. I thought at first he wanted me to put out an article or help him write an autobiography or something. He asked me if I still wanted to know how deep corruption ran in the Republic. I said yes. And that's when he started telling me that he was setup by Palpatine…that Palpatine forced him into a position where he had to choose between impeachment or resignation. He said Palpatine was after the chancellorship all along."

"It took me months of digging, checking through sources and finding the right people who would talk. I had to use every resource available. And what I found out..." Keets shook his head.

Anakin furled his brow.

"When Valorum was chancellor, one of the major issues that those senators were squabbling about was combating the pirate attacks occurring along some of the hyperspace routes. The only solution presented that made sense was to add routine security patrols and surveillance in the hotter spots. The problem was there wasn't enough money to support this solution. Senator Palpatine approached Valorum and suggested he tax the free trade routes and use the revenue to cover the cost of adding security measures. Valorum liked the idea and went with it. Months later, it was discovered that there were several accounting oversights. It appeared some of this money was diverted to another account….a private bank account…Chancellor Valorum's. He was subsequently accused of embezzlement. I discovered through a contact of mine that it was Senator Taa who blew the whistle, informing the commission."

"That doesn't prove anything." Anakin said flatly.

"No? It was Palpatine's aid who told Senator Taa. It's never been a secret that Taa did not like Valorum. When I looked at all the pieces and put them together in my head, it made perfect sense. This was the start of Valorum's downfall. It wouldn't be enough to just force him out. He had to be weakened, flawed, corrupted in the eyes of the people. And Palpatine succeeded. He let that scandal die a bit and waited a year and during that time he cultivated his influence in the senate. And when the Naboo crisis came about - To this day I feel that he had a hand in that-he used Padme to push Valorum out. That was Palpatine's checkmate. Padme told me that when he told her he was nominated, he said he would become chancellor. I remember her saying that it sounded like he knew it would happen…like it was planned. And he was right. He is a master manipulator."

"Did Padme know any of this?"

"She knew all of it, Skywalker. Valorum's part, Bail's part, and mine which were now added to her own part in it. Once Padme started piecing the puzzle together, she realized that the corruption could be running deeper and reaching farther than previously thought. While Bail and I were trying to figure how to get Palpatine out of office, she was busy trying to find out what he had his hands in." He paused again. "The last thing she said to me was that she was going to Kasshyk. She was meeting with someone there who knew critical information. It was something that would change everything. She said it was worth the risk."

Anakin was leaned forward, balancing his forearms on his knees. "Do you know who she was meeting?"

"No." Keets shook his head. "Tell me, Skywalker. What is the Jedi's stance on Palpatine? Do they trust him?"

"I resigned from the order. I'm not at liberty to say."

"How can that be true? You are no longer a Jedi Knight. There is no longer a need to maintain an oath or secrecy."

"Is this you using investigative reporter tactics to dig out the truth from me? Is that how you intend to help me?"

"No. I have other skills."

Anakin raised his brow, expecting an explanation.

"Let's just say I wasn't always a journalist." Keets chuckled. "Can you at least confirm that there is a trust issue between the chancellor and the Jedi?"

Anakin paused and said tactfully, "They do not see eye to eye on certain things."

"I supposed that is expected between two powers having to work together. But I see that you are more agreeable with the Chancellor than the Jedi are. It makes me wonder, Skywalker. Either you are blinded by loyalty and friendship, or he has made absolute sure that he always appears uncorrupted and the exception to the rule."

"Don't mistake me for ignorant, Freely. I'm fully capable of judging who I can trust. Chancellor Palpatine has been nothing but a friend to me since I was a boy. He's never given me a reason to believe him to be otherwise."

Keets snorted and slowly shook his head pitifully. "Then continue believing what you want about Palpatine. But just be careful of what you say around him and how you say it. As for this investigation," He stood up and stepped around his chair, "You are going to need my help."

"Why do you think that?"

"Weren't you listening? Discovering the truth is what I do. I know the ins and outs. I know where and how to get the information you need. I didn't know Padme for very long, but she and I were from the same home world. She was a damn good senator and a good friend. That's two friends I've lost to the same cause." Keets folded his arms. "That right there should tell you I have motivation and that I'm driven."

Anakin took several moments and considered using Keets's support.

Keets continued, "We can work both ends of this case, Skywalker. I guarantee we will meet in the middle and come to the same conclusion."

Anakin stood up. He glanced at Keets. "You are sure about that."

"It's no surprise to me the angle you've chosen in investigating this case. You've started from the wreckage and worked your way back." He shrugged. "I would've taken the same route. You do know that what Padme did in secret led to her death."

"It's very likely, or else I wouldn't be standing here, talking to you."

He smiled and said, "Padme wanted us to look into the tax money allocation delegated by Palpatine's administration. Bail and I didn't like this idea. It was too close to the surface. I asked her to give me time to find the right people to contact…That if she approached the wrong person, she could attract the wrong kind of attention." He sighed, "Needless to say, she didn't listen."

"So it's likely that whoever she was meeting would know something about the money."

"Precisely. I'm going to need access to her files, Skywalker." He wagged a finger. "I will need to know where she left off. If I can pick up the trail, I can help you get to the bottom of this."

"If we are going to do this together, then I need to make myself clear. This is not about the republic or the chancellor. I am not interested in exposing political corruption and until this case is closed I don't want you using any evidence for the crusade against Palpatine. Once I find out who is behind this and they pay for what they've done, you can do whatever you want with the evidence."

"You continue to surprise me, Skywalker. It's an opportunity to take on an infected political system." Keets jabbed "I always thought the Jedi disliked politicians."

"I'm not a Jedi anymore, remember?"

"Right, you resigned." He nodded his head. "You'll likely reconsider that."

"What makes you say that?"

"You're going to find out, just as Padme did, that not everyone who earns our friendship are worthy of it." Not waiting for a response, he asked, "So what's it going to be, Skywalker? Am I onboard or not?"

Anakin sighed and looked at Keets for a moment as if trying to see through him. He nodded as if agreeing with a conclusion and said, "Come by the penthouse, and I will give you all the files you need."

**To be continued…**

**Read-Relish-Reply!**


	16. Sixteen

_He wasn't sure how he got there. All memories short term and long paled against the day's trauma. Anakin remained rooted to the verandah, numb and in shock. He could barely feel the coolness of the nightly breeze against his skin. It didn't make sense that the world still functioned despite the great loss suffered this day. Nothing made sense any more, not the full moon in the midnight sky nor the light it cast against his back or the darkness of what was once Padme's home before him. The only thing that did make sense was the shadow he cast against the verandah surface. It was eerie how much the shadow mirrored what he'd become. He looked down boring his gaze into it, wishing so much that Padme's silhouette would somehow appear beside his. He felt one dimensional and out of touch. None of this felt real. It was as if he had been tossed into an unending nightmare. It was too hard, too painful for it to be reality. He raised his gaze toward the penthouse to see the gossamer curtains billowing toward him around giant pillars that flanked the entrance, beckoning him to enter his home._

_What home?_

_It wasn't a home anymore. She's not there and would never return. The spot where he stood was the last place she stood as she stepped into the speeder that would transport her to her death. He could not call it a home anymore. He wasn't sure how long he stood there, only that it was nightfall and though the eyes of Coruscant was focused on him, he couldn't care less. The curtains shifted and there he saw his droids._

_Threepio and R2 watched their master with as much sorrow as droids could muster. Anakin could see their melancholy though he didn't register it. Emerging from the apartment to stand beside the droids was a mirage. It was Padme. With a long dark braid draped over her right shoulder, she appeared sad and her face glistened with fresh tears. She called him closer and somehow his body obeyed. And as he drew closer to her form, the mirage had become Dorme. He confirmed the illusion by looking at the burnt fragment of Japport and the partially melted chain tightly held in his left hand. The pain never subsided and it never will. With his years of experience on the front lines of war, he knew better than most that no one could have survived an explosion like that. No one could survive such an impact. As he passed the threshold of the apartment, he found the sitting room was dimly lit and it reminded him of those times when Padme would comfort him after a rough night's sleep. He shifted his gaze and found himself looking directly at the stairs that led to their bedroom. Fresh tears began to pour hotly against his cheeks. Instantly he remembered his last words to her. He remembered their argument and the things that could never be taken back. The scar across his heart only deepened surpassing the one across his eye._

_More than anything in life he wanted her back. He wanted her to pass through the front door of the apartment, dirty, shaken, clothes torn and singed, with messy hair, with tear streaked cheeks and smudged make-up. Any condition would have been acceptable as long as he could have her back. But as impossible as it was to occur, it was inescapably true that the blame for her death fell squarely on his shoulders._

_How could he be called 'Chosen one?' How could he be the one who would bring balance when he couldn't save the one he loved most? He sensed the children were awake and approaching the sitting room. He had hoped that at this late hour they would still be asleep. Despite his hope, he knew better. He knew through their strong connection in the force, they could sense his grief. Anakin released a long defeated sigh._

_Luke and Leia….How he can face them? He failed them as well. He caused them the pain of losing a parent. How could he be allowed to raise them when he caused them to lose so much? Anakin doubted every ability and achievement he had._

_Anakin looked to his right where they had a small bar that kept various wines and liquors. He never developed a desire for the substance until that moment. But he needed something to help him escape—cope with the enormous weight bearing down on him. The only sound he could register was his own breath, the beating of his own heart and an inner voice awarding him the fault of Padme's death. He reached over the bar and grabbed the neck of the first bottle he felt…a fifth of Rum drax. It was the favored drink of Senator Farr, given to Anakin as gratitude for saving his life. It was strong liquor, meant to be mixed and notorious for its affects._

'_How fitting'_

_He felt a hand land softly on his shoulder and turned toward its owner. Dorme, with eyes like Padme's flooded with tears, pulled him into her embrace and sobbed. She held him tightly, apologizing over and over, begging for something he couldn't quite make out. At the time, it didn't matter to him. Anakin was too numb to return the embrace._

_Dorme pulled away from the embrace, and composed herself as best she could. She looked to her right and saw the children standing together, fearfully holding hands. Anakin could see them on the periphery of his vision, but he dare not look at them._

_Dorme turned back to him and cleared her throat. "Anakin, all of you will need me now more than ever. I am Padme's handmaiden, her assistant and her friend. She was like a sister and I loved her very much. Let me stay on to look after you and the children. You guys need me now more than ever. I want to help you through this. I need to do this for her. I know this is what she'd want me to do." She wiped new tears from her cheeks. "Please."_

_Anakin could only give the slightest nod of his head._

"_Thank you so much, Anakin." Dorme attempted to muster an encouraging smile, but faltered half way through as she began to breakdown again. She composed herself once more and said, "They don't know what's happened to her, but they know something horrible has happened. They need to be told, Anakin." She spared a glance in their direction, "Sooner rather than later."_

_Anakin's lips parted, but no sound was made. He could barely register that Padme was dead. There was no way he could explain that to four year olds. It was inconceivable. How could he tell them everything would be okay? It would never be._

_His throat was raw from crying out the moment news of her death was delivered. In a raspy voice, he answered, "I—I can't." He lowered his head in shame, as the tears blurred his vision._

_Dorme pulled her lips into a thin line to keep her chin from quivering. "It's okay, Anakin." She rubbed his shoulder, "I know it's hard right now. If it's alright with you, I'll tell them for you."_

_Anakin gave another somber nod and stepped around her. With the last burnt remnant of Padme's existence in one hand and a bottle of drax tightly held in another, he started off down the west corridor toward Padme's office._

_Diminishing with every step along the corridor was Dorme's voice, carefully explaining to the children their mother's terrible fate. He stepped through Padme's office door and closed it behind him. Leaning against the door, he slowly slumped to the floor and twisted the top off the bottle. He raised the lights to partially light the room. He could sense the children's pain and grief intensify. Through the door he could hear Luke and Leia's small whimpering voices, calling out for their mother as they wept. It was another stab in his heart. Paternal instinct commanded him to run out there and hold them, but his body would not or could not obey. Grief and misery bolted him to the floor._

_It wasn't fair that they had to deal with this at such a young age. He was 19 when he lost his mother and it nearly crippled him. They needed him now and he knew this. But he also knew he was in no shape to bear their sorrow. He wasn't strong enough to be the rock they would need. Anakin loved his children more than life itself. How would he dare face them and console them knowing that he caused their pain?_

_His mind traveled back to when he knelt at his mother's tomb stone and the promise he made. In the matter of minutes, it was shattered. He looked down at the Japport snippet in his left hand for several moments and could feel the spark of anger begin to take root in the well of his soul. Anakin started to feel disgust in himself and his abilities. There was no solace for him. There was no refuge for him to hide from this agony. He began to question the force and the advice to always trust in the force. Look where it got him. Behind the snippet was his wedding band, worn faithfully day in and day out. It's luster seemed lessened now that its partner was gone, presumably melted down in the fire. In happier times, it reminded him of the day he committed the rest of his life to her. Now it would serve as a reminder of his loss…another repeated failure._

_Anakin rolled his eyes miserably at the ring and scoffed, "Chosen one."_

_He lifted the bottle to his lips and gulped down the contents._

* * *

Anakin shook the memory from the forefront of his mind and walked out of the west wing corridor to see Threepio usher Dorme into the apartment. The smile on her face spoke volumes. He could sense that she genuinely missed him and the penthouse since it was her second home for a time. Anakin hadn't seen Dorme since the day she left to accompany Luke and Leia and their grandparents back to Naboo. He couldn't help but to be amazed at how much she looked like Padme. For an instant he thought he had strayed into a dream.

Dorme handed Threepio her cloak and embraced Anakin. They stepped down into the sitting area and took seats directly across from each other.

Glancing at Threepio who retreated into the kitchen for refreshments, Anakin asked, "When did you arrive?"

"Just this morning." She smiled, pleased to see her old friend after nearly a year. "I was hoping that I would catch the children before they went off to the academy."

"Training usually begins pretty early in the morning." Anakin placed his long arm along the back rest of the couch. "0600."

"Then I never had a chance." She chuckled. "I was delighted to hear that you escorted them on their first day."

Anakin nodded, absently plucking at the corner of a couch pillow. "Luke and Leia were very surprised," a smile briefly tugged at the corner of his mouth as his mind traveled to their faces that morning, and added, "and very happy."

"That's wonderful, Anakin." Dorme cocked her head to the side, unable keep the smile from her face. It was obvious she could see the difference in Anakin from the last time she saw him. "It's good that you've reconnected with them. They really needed you."

His tone turned somber. "Seeing them again made me realize how much I hurt them."

Threepio returned offering beverages on a tray. Dorme took a glass and sipped. "Thank you, Threepio."

She watched Anakin claim a glass of water and sip. "I know the state you were in when we left. You were broken, Anakin. I wasn't sure if you'd come back. But you made the best decision possible for them. It was hard, but it had to be done. Letting them stay with you to watch you suffer would have only added to their pain. I understand and in time they will too."

Anakin didn't meet her gaze but simply nodded.

"You look better. I see a change in you, Anakin."

"I struggle daily, but I'm surviving. I have to for Luke and Leia's sake. They are what kept me from completely giving in."

"It seemed as though you were destroying yourself. I always feared you wouldn't wake up the following morning."

"I drank to drown my guilt, escape the pain of…" He didn't bother finishing the statement. He never explained his reasons for abusing alcohol. But strangely it felt good to talk to Dorme about it. She provided some sort of comfort that he had not known since before Padme died. Dorme didn't expect him to be as he was, nor did she apply pressure. She just wanted him to be okay and be happy again. "Every morning that I woke up was a surprise for me too."

Dorme leaned forward and asked "I must ask…what made you stop?"

Anakin's gaze met hers, answering her with hesitation. "Padme."

Dorme straightened in her seat and narrowed her eyes in confusion. "Padme?"

"I had visions of her." His eyes softened as if he were speaking about a long awaited trip home. Reading the curious expression on Dorme's face, he added, "In one vision she took me back to the picnic we had in the meadow at Varykino years ago. She said she knew that I've been sick since she's been gone. She said she needed me strong again so that I can stop whoever did this." He chuckled mirthlessly and shook his head. "Trust me, Dorme. I'm not insane."

"Padme told me once that you have visions from time to time but…they were just premonitions."

"I know. This was completely different." Anakin smirked. "I trust you, Dorme. Don't tell anyone I've lost my mind."

"I know you haven't," She shook her head. "I have known you since you were a boy. I'm confident in your abilities, Anakin. What did you see?"

"Padme has revealed things to me that have aided this investigation...things that only she would know. The trail would have if it weren't for her. So far, I'm gaining more ground than expected. It appears that there are more people involved in this plot."

"Padme's helping you? That's amazing. It's almost like she's returned." Dorme covered her mouth with her hand. She blinked hoping to fight the tears that were so dangerously close to the surface. "What have you discovered so far?"

"I don't want to say. The less people know the better. It could get dangerous before I'm done."

"You're probably right." She afforded an unconvincing smile.

Anakin studied her for a moment. "You seem troubled."

She shrugged dismissively. "I-it's nothing, Anakin. Really."

"It looks like something. Tell me." He leaned forward in his seat, concerned.

"It's just that being back here makes me realize how much I've missed her." A single tear that had quickly begun its journey along her cheek was immediately wiped away.

"Padme is embedded in every inch of this place." Anakin rolled his eyes around the room. "I have memories of her in every room." He looked over at the seat beside him and raised his gaze to the where the face of a person occupying the seat would be. "She sat here with me…in this very spot. She was seven months pregnant and we were trying to guess the sex of the baby." He looked toward Dorme wistfully. "At the time, I didn't know she was carrying twins…she wanted to surprise me."

"Anakin, I'm not surprised that her passing is still so near to your heart as it is mine, but the next step is acceptance. You have to accept that she's passed." Dorme's chin began to tremble.

"I have." His expression was deadpan.

"The next step is to let go." She blinked several times to fight fresh tears. "Have you given moving out any more thought?"

Anakin leaned back in his seat. "I've decided to think about it."

"Really? I'm surprised." Dorme sniffed as she dabbed a handkerchief at her eye. "That's really good to hear. I remember you being so adamant about staying. The Naberries are really worried about you."

"I know." Anakin sighed. "Jobal and Ruwee pointed something out that made me reconsider."

"What was that?"

"Once this investigation is over, Luke and Leia will come back to me. Being here while their mother is gone is only to going to make things difficult for them. So I'm considering renting this place out." Anakin knew that if he decided to accept the chancellor's proposal and bring Padme back, it would take time and a lot of his energy to harness enough power from the darkside. It made more sense to have the children live elsewhere until their mother returned.

Dorme nodded approvingly.

"Its…" he waved a hand dismissively, "….just something I'm thinking about." Changing the subject, he focused on her and asked, "how have things been since you returned to Naboo?"

"Fine. I spent some time with family." Dorme shifted uncomfortably in her seat and said, "Anakin, there's something I have to tell you."

Anakin straightened and gave her his full attention.

"Since the day we lost Padme, I have wished that I had taken her place, that I could have saved you all the pain of her passing." Dorme sighed and said, "I'm so sorry."

Her admission was something he never knew. It struck him profoundly that she felt so deeply about what happened. She was so penitent and remorseful…so passionate. Still, it came as no surprise to Anakin. Padme and Dorme were as close as sisters could be. Instantly the burden of his guilt weighed heavier on his shoulders when he realized that while Dorme bore everyone else's grief, no one was there to bear hers. In the two months following Padme's death, Dorme had become his closest friend and confidant in Obi-wan's absence. He'd often wake in the guest room to realize that someone turned off the music he left playing, covered him with a blanket or removed a nearly empty bottle from his grasp. She often expressed her concern with his coping method, but never once pushed the issue. Dorme looked after the children, often doing the duties of both father and mother while looking after Anakin and making sure the children didn't see him drink or drunk. It was something she didn't expect to do in her range of duties, but she gladly performed without complaint or indication of dissatisfaction. She did all this for the love of one departed friend and of another deeply suffering.

"You don't have anything to apologize for." Another smile made a brief appearance before fading. "You were always there for us, but no one was there for you. I know it was hard for you and that you were grieving as well. I couldn't see past my own grief." He stood up and sat beside her and took her hand in his. "I have never said this to you and its long overdue…Thank you so much."

Dorme looked up at Anakin curiously.

"For taking care of my children when I could not. For looking after me when I would not, for being my friend when I was indifferent." Anakin looked down at her hand. "You are a good friend, Dorme…the best anyone could ever have."

Dorme's face seemed to pale as Anakin spoke. The tears started to well in her eyes again. "You guys are like family to me. I could never turn my back on any of you…not when you needed me most. Anakin, not a day has gone by when I didn't wish with all my might to take back that fateful day."

Anakin looked at Dorme for a long moment and sighed. He couldn't understand why Dorme harbored such guilt. "You are blaming yourself for what happened."

"Yes." Dorme's hands started to tremble and more tears streamed unchecked along her cheeks. "If only I had stopped her, said something…to make her stay. If only I had changed the time of the flight… that freighter would have missed her ship and she would still be alive."

Dorme was echoing his feelings of guilt. She was going through the same agony he was going through and yet she didn't know it. Somehow it provided him some measure of solace and the same time it didn't. Without registering the thought, Anakin held her in his arms. In a soothing voice, he offered her comfort, saying, "Stop it, Dorme. Don't blame yourself."

_Because it was my fault…I was there and didn't stop it from happening._

They parted slowly and found themselves gazing into each other's eyes. Dorme unwittingly awakened a need long dormant…companionship and solace. She rivaled the comfort he used to find at the bottom of bottle. They both carried the same burden of guilt, except Dorme's guilt had no basis as far as Anakin was concerned. Still, he found someone who identified with him. He never thought that he, a widower and a recovering alcoholic, could shoulder someone else's grief. It wasn't long ago that he couldn't bear his own grief. It only served as proof that he was unaware of how much healing had taken place and how much stronger he is becoming. But Anakin still had a long road ahead of him.

Looking into reminiscent eyes, Dorme seemed to change before his eyes. He wasn't seeing her anymore. He was seeing Padme. Her skin was so soft under his touch, just as he remembered. The lips were soft, supple, and inviting…just like Padme's. In the well of tears in her eyes, he could see the shade of brown that matched Padme's. Her hair was a darker shade of brown, but it smelled just the same. Holding her wasn't the same, but it felt good to hold someone and be held again nonetheless. With a thumb he brushed a tear from the contour of her right cheek, never realizing that the distance between them was beginning to shrink. Her warm breath passed through her parted lips and warmed his mouth, beckoning him closer. Anakin couldn't believe she was right in front of him. A part of him was telling him to stop, but the craving to kiss Padme's lips was too strong to ignore.

"Anakin…" Dorme whispered.

Anakin could feel his name sail out from between her lips. Just before making contact, something changed. Padme faded away. It was Dorme seated before him…not his beloved wife. Reality set back in and Anakin remembered that Padme was gone and no incarnation of her could ever match the real thing. Only an inch away from a passionate kiss, Anakin stopped and blinked. He turned his head, feeling the tears pricking his eyes. Anakin stood up and took several steps away toward the verandah.

With a hand on his waist, he sighed, disappointed in himself and pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry, Dorme."

"It's okay, Anakin. Really. I understand… it's hard." Dorme said embarrassed.

He needed to re-establish suitable distance between them. He was not ready for anything more than friendship and he didn't want to ruin what he and Dorme had.

She composed herself and dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief. "I think, perhaps, I should go."

Without turning to face her, he asked, "Dorme, I need to ask you something."

"Of course."

"Did Padme tell you anything about the meeting she was going to?" It was another comfort zone, more familiar, more appropriate and less desirable for him to retreat.

Caught off guard by the change in subject, Dorme thought for a moment and sniffed. "She never gave any details. She only said when and where. That's all. She asked that Sabe and I keep this quiet." She looked at Anakin, when he finally turned to face her. "We were not even to tell you. She said the less we knew, the safer we'd be."

"When did she tell you this?"

"A few days before she died."

"Anakin, what was it all about? What did she die for?" Dorme stood up.

"I don't know, Dorme." He said walking toward her. "But I intend to find out soon."

TBC...

There are officially 9 chapters to go.

NEXT: Seventeen - Anakin and Keets discover new evidence. Obi-wan infiltrates the stronghold and discovers more is at stake than just the fate of Luke and Leia.


	17. Seventeen

Anakin paced back and forth in the workshop frustrated with results of his inquiry about the transmission Maeto Spek received. Three weeks ago, he submitted a formal request to the Republic Communications Commission for detailed transcripts of every transmission received and sent by Mateo's transceiver address going back a week before the collision. It was a well known fact among the Jedi that the RCC kept recordings of transmissions, detailing entire conversations in the name of Republic security. This was why the Jedi employed channel encryption. Making the request a high priority didn't make the turnaround time any smaller. In fact three weeks was the best he could hope for as opposed to waiting the standard 3-6 months.

The results were not as he had expected. What angered him even more was that they made him wait three weeks just to be denied. The RCC refused to provide the transcripts citing violation of amendment 34, which protected the right to privacy.

_Hypocrites!__Damn__his__privacy!_ Anakin tossed the datapad roughly to the worktable. _Bureaucratic__fools!_

He needed to know exactly what was said in the transmission. Maeto's recount was not reliable. Anakin thought that there might have been some clue that Mateo overlooked, thought insignificant or neglected to mention. The RCC was the only way to find out the who, the where and the what. That agency was an obstacle that went from being a mole hill to a mountain. Agitated, Anakin sighed as he continued to pace from one side of the workshop to the other. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he went over the facts of the call as Maeto described.

Maeto stated the call came from a woman, who sounded nervous, which would mean that she might have been coerced into making the call to hide the identity of the assassin. According to Maeto, the transmission came less than a week before the collision. Anakin considered hacking into the RCC's database, but this method of acquisition would render any evidence gleaned as not viable.

_Another dead end_

Anakin shook his head. He stopped pacing and looked out of the window at the air way traffic that formed a grid over the Coruscant skyline. He could feel fatigue begin to pull on his eyelids. He had been working since dawn. His eye wandered toward the left side of the panoramic view and rested on the lateral view of the verandah. He could almost see Padme standing on the verandah, waiting for him to arrive home from a day at the temple. He could almost see the breeze move through her gown and her hair playing gracefully along her back.

"Master Anakin, I took the liberty of preparing a meal for you." Threepio's voice broke his diversion.

Anakin couldn't deny how far his mind trailed off as he realized he didn't hear the protocol droid enter the room. He had been so busy that he didn't remember the last time he ate. He turned partially toward him and answered, "Thank you, Threepio. I will be there shortly."

"It'll be waiting for you in the den." The droid turned and exited the room as Artoo entered.

Anakin nodded. He mind returned to finding a way to getting the information he needed and a thought began to formulate in his mind. He paused and looked over his shoulder at the datapad still displaying the RCC's decision. Finding out exactly what was said, was suddenly not as important as finding who said it or where it was said. And since the RCC was being tight lipped about that information, he knew he still had one more option. He turned to Artoo.

"Artoo, I have a job for you." He continued after the droid uttered an excited whistle. "Run a traceroute on Spek's transceiver address. Gather whatever information you can. Most importantly, I need you to search for any incoming transmissions occurring within a week of the collision. I want to know who owns the sending communicator and where the transmission originated from."

A series of beeps erupted from the droid. _That__'__s__tall__order._

"I know."

Another series of chirps followed. _You__do__know__it__will__take__time.__It__could__take__several__days._

"Yes, I know. But then again, I know you can do it in half the time."

The droid's head rotated toward him and a soft curious whistling sounded. _This__will__require__most__of__my__processors._

Anakin smirked, "There is rarely a task you cannot complete. Do the best you can, Artoo. I'll work with whatever you get. Just let me know as soon as you find something."

* * *

Anakin typically ate his food watching the holonet. It helped keep his mind on other things and distracted him long enough to focus on eating. It wasn't long after he finished his meal that the broadcast shifted from local to galactic and the news of the war. He watched as clones led by Jedi were pinned down under heavy fire on the front lines of war. They flashed through several images that reminded him of a life he used to know…a time when he led the 501st through countless battles…a time when he had a wonderful home and family waiting for his return. The reporter finished the segment stating the whereabouts of Count Dooku, General Grievous and the other separatist leaders were still unknown. There was a part of him that missed being a Jedi. But he didn't feel worthy enough to take up his lightsaber. There was still so much guilt, distrust and anger that he couldn't find a way to let go of. Anakin couldn't see his way back to that life.

The holoreceiver beeped several times indicating an incoming transmission. Realizing it was encrypted, Anakin immediately activated his encryption key and opened the transmission. The transparent image of Keets appeared in the transmitted. He seated in a chair with cyberette between his fingers.

"Skywalker." His raspy voice called out. "Is this a good time?"

"As good as any..." Anakin shut off the holonet and leaned forward. "What do you have?"

"With the information I was able to get from Padme's files, I was able to discover that she was in the middle of auditing the galactic income revenue. Everything looked legit, until I noticed she stopped at one particular record that indicated some of the money was diverted elsewhere."

"Where?"

"That's where the trail goes cold." Plumes of smoke exhaled through his nostrils as Keets narrows his eyes suspiciously. He pointed the cyberette at Anakin, "But I have a hunch the IGBC is involved."

Anakin automatically considered the known associates. "The separatists."

"At this point? No. This is something apart from the war. Even though this war wages on, the Banking Clan recognizes there is still money to be made across the board. They are still a business after all, although now limited considering they are part of the opposition."

"So why do you think they would be involved in this?"

"The trail picked up again when I realized a common characteristic between the plot to kill Padme and what she the trail she was following…MONEY. So I decided to switch gears for a moment and look into the 70 thousand credits to transferred into Maeto Spek's account. I traced the money back to an account at a bank owned by the IGBC."

Anakin folded his arms. "I discovered this too. As a matter of fact, there were no records for the account the money was transferred from. It was as if the account only existed by word of very few mouths."

"Knowledge of such an account was only meant for those in the upper echelons of the firm. Fortunately for us, Silver was able to glean a little more from an employee with access to the IGBC main database. She found out the IGBC are harboring numerous secret accounts great and small. Some are those avoiding Income revenue collection and various other debts and then there are some involved in bigger entanglements. The luxury of having a secret account with the IGBC comes with their ridiculous service fee. Among these accounts, Anakin, there is one account that is larger than the others. It's like the crown jewel. The account balance is in the same bracket as the diverted tax money and it's the only account with no service fees attached. Even thought Silver could not get the name of the account holder, she was able to discover the account identifier."

Just as Anakin opened his mouth to ask, Keets perceived and answered, "The identifier is the typical seven characters, except it's preceded by an X. The account balance was rounded off to 7 billion credits."

Anakin muttered a huttese curse.

"But remember that's only a portion of the collected income revenue. It was small enough to be overlooked…or hidden depending on whose handling the books." Keets went on, "The director of accounts, S'an Yanick, personally opened the account and maintained it."

"Were you able to question him? Find out why and who he opened this account for?"

"No. Coincidentally, he went AWOL weeks before Padme died. He was found murdered only days after that. I suppose it was only a matter of time. I have a feeling this is who she was meeting on Kasshyk. Silver says this director stole copies of the records from the main database and disappeared. He had detailed transaction history and records of this secret account. I think it's likely that making contact with Padme is what exposed him."

"They were already watching her the moment she started digging into the income revenue." Anakin deduced as Keets nodded in agreement.

"IGBC owns and sponsors several charitable functions and operations in order to the firm a 'face' and look socially responsible. This is all a front to funnel funds created with this secret account."

"They were laundering the money." Anakin rubbed his chin. "What happened to the data?"

"It was never discovered. It was assumed that whoever killed him was working for the IGBC and perhaps reclaimed it."

"And if that's the case, considering how this was all carried out, it's likely they received some support from the separatists."

"But we are going to need that data." Keets stretched out a hand and outted the cyberette. "Bail and I will be going to Anzat to see if we can tract down the whereabouts of the data."

"But didn't you just say the data was never discovered?"

"It wasn't. Killing S'an only created the assumption that they recovered the data."

"So what's in Anzat?"

"Anzat was S'an's homeworld. There are rumors that he was seen there shortly before leaving to meet Padme. I have a sneaking suspicion that he wasn't stupid. He had to have known that there were very powerful people behind this account. He knew they would be hunting him, which is why he went into hiding. He was smart enough to evade exposure and survived for weeks."

"Then S'an must have also known that communicating with Padme would expose him and meeting her would make him vulnerable." Anakin paused for moment and laced his fingers together. He concluded, "You think he might've made a copy of the data and hid it somewhere on Anzat." After Keets nodded, he asked, "If that's true it could be anywhere and you would be searching for a very long time."

"I think I have a good idea where to start..." Keets answered confidently. "…his family's home. With that data in our hands, we'll know why Padme was killed."

"And possibly who ordered her death." Anakin said with cool gaze. "When you do leave?"

"We are preparing to leave now." Keets paused comfortably, shifting in his seat and said, "One more thing, Skywalker…if I cannot contact you, Silver will. I'll make sure she gets any information I find to you."

"You think something will happen to you?"

Keets cracked a smile, "I've been doing this for a long time. The hairs are standing up on the back of my neck…that's usually a sign for me to lay low for a while. Instead of running, I find myself tempting fate by going on this mission."

"Keets, just quit smoking and you'll be fine."

"That's the same thing Silver said." Keets snorted. "Any word from Kenobi?"

"Yes, he's made contact on Raxus. With any luck, he's found the hacker that re-programmed those droids."

* * *

Obi-wan stole across two miles of debris, traversing warped and ruined scrap metal piles and navigating through unknown tunnels and over unsecured pathways across the pools of acidic toxic waste. He made his way through a maze of metal and found an opening that gave him a clear view ahead. Carefully peering through, he could part of the courtyard and the main gate. The stronghold that was once known as Dooku's fortress was the tallest protrusion in a collection jutting from the surface into the darkening sky. There was steam issuing from various outlets and lights fading on and off. The main entrance was on level cut much deeper than terrain surrounding the building. There were robed patrol guards and droids standing at attention throughout the entire area.

Entry would not prove wise through this point.

He quietly moved to another pathway in a cavernous field of junk and followed the twists and turns until it lead him to a vast opening, where three ships were docked. There were several droids guarding the entire bay. Obi-wan watched in relative darkness while he reconsidered an opening into the facility. He checked consulted the scanner once again and searched for an alternative route and found one which would require him to move dangerously close to the courtyard and cut an opening to an access tunnel.

The sounds of booted feet moved near his position. Obi-wan shut off the scanner and pulled himself into the folds of metal. The guarded slowed their pace and looked around.

"I think you were seeing things."

"Well, I thought I saw something. Better to be sure than beheaded."

The other guard nodded. They continued along the pathway toward the docking bay. Obi-wan slowly peered out, ensuring they were gone. Across from him was a pile of metal that had various jutting plates. It would provide him with access to cut his way in.

Drawing on the force, Obi-wan quickly leaped 2 meters from a ledge on the right to another ledge on the left 1 meter above that one. At this height he could see a hatch that granted direct access to the courtyard. Obi-wan checked his calculations and realized that this tunnel could also position him directly beneath the access tunnel into the stronghold. He extended a hand raised the hatch. The tunnel provided a diagonal slide downward and into the courtyard. He only needed to travel half the distance. Obi-wan jumped into the opening and slide half way down and immediately propped his feet and hands against the walls of the shaft, stopping his movement. He looked above and raised a hand, pulling the hatch closed. He paused before continuing to determine if his movements stirred any suspicion. He ignited his lightsaber and cut a hole large enough for him to pass through. Clipping the weapon back on his belt, he used the force to quietly open the hole and launched himself through it. He quickly covered the opening back and found himself a dimly lit corridor. Footsteps echoed in the distance but they were not approaching his location. Obi-wan quickly masked his signature in the force and moved stealthily against the wall toward the sound.

Obi-wan turned the corner, and saw the glow of a light emanating from beneath the floor. Checking his surrounding first, he quickly and quietly moved toward the opening and realized it was an opening created by a small explosion. He knelt and peered through. He could not see the face of the individual in the room, but only a silhouette. Obi-wan watched him activate a holotransmitter and Count Dooku's figure manifested.

"Count Dooku, how may I be of service?"

"What is the status of the system designs for the battle station?"

"The tertiary level of programming is completed. All levels of programming will be transmitted as soon as they can be bundled. You should receive them in a few hours."

"Excellent, Rubrik."

"You and your programmer have done well."

"What has been puzzling me is how this is going to be constructed under the noses of the Jedi? They are all over the galaxy fighting in the war."

"Once Order 66 is active, the Jedi will no longer be our concern."

"I don't know. One thing do I know about the Jedi, they are resourceful..." Rubrik tone dropped as if remembering something from long ago, "and they never quit."

"Make no mistake. From this annihilation, there will be no escape."

"Then I believe it is time we conclude our business arrangement."

"Indeed." Dooku's eyes narrowed. "However, there is still a loose end needing to be tied."

"Enlighten me."

"Your associate, the programmer. He must be eliminated."

"Hoyt is one of the best programmers in the galaxy. Killing him now would not be good for business, Count. He's part of my team and I still need him."

"Nevertheless he can be replaced. You did say he was _one_ of the best."

"This wasn't part of the arrangement! If I had known I'd be taking a loss, I would've never taken this on!"

"This is a lesson learned, Rubrik. There are no rewards for inefficiency or lack of forethought. While he lives, he remains a liability…one you cannot afford."

"The senator…" Rubrik muttered as if suddenly remembering something.

"He remains linked to the droid programming and he is directly connected to you, as you are to a larger problem." Dooku's tone grew cooler as he drove the point further using the force to gradually squeeze Rubrik's throat. Rubrik clasped his throat, clawing at the unseen threat.

Dooku continued, "If the twig cannot be removed, then the entire branch will be removed."

The choke hold suddenly released, Rubrik fell to his knees gasping and coughing, "I—I will take care of this…Count." He offered a nervous smile looking up at the image of the Sith lord. "One thing I pride myself on is confidentiality and discretion, my reputation is flawless."

"Let's hope it stays that way." Dooku adjusted his cloak around his shoulders and said, "The credits will be deposited into your account by end of business tomorrow."

Obi-wan quietly pondered the significance of Order 66, knowing that whatever it was, it certainly didn't bode well for the Jedi. It was clear that Rubrik and Hoyt were somehow connected to Padme's death and that a link establishing the connection still exists. What bothered him more about this raveling mystery was that Yoda's suspicion of Sith involvement could be true. However, the question remained…why would the Sith want Padme dead? Obi-wan considered that as leader of the Separatist's Count Dooku could be carrying out a request on their behalf. Additionally he needed to find out more about this battle station being constructed. He needed to find out more. Rubrik is likely the one who planned the assassination. Obi-wan knew Hoyt he need only apply the correct pressure and Hoyt would share everything.


	18. Eighteen

**Eighteen**

The recessed temple balustrade overlooked the gardens centered in the heart of the temple, wholly surrounding it and provided four access points. In the center of the garden were a cluster of children all seated in a circle, legs crossed and palms turned up, resting on their knees. Among them was their instructor who was speaking to them softly, teaching them to listen the whispers in the force.

With his arms folded, Anakin stood silently on the balustrade looking on as his children stretched their feelings into the vast field of the force. A smile slowly spread across their faces as they immediately detected their father's signature. Leia couldn't help raising one eyelid to sneak a peek at him. Anakin immediately gestured with two gloved fingers to close her eyes. When she complied, a smile tugged on the corner of his mouth.

"It seems their training during the solstice has paid off." A familiar voice sounded to the rear of Anakin's left. "I'm sure you are proud."

Recognizing the voice, Anakin replied without turning. "You know I am." He lowered his gaze to the steps leading into garden. Despite already knowing the answer, he asked, "What brings you here, Dorme?"

She moved forward to stand beside Anakin and looked on the seated children in the garden. "Today makes one year. I thought it would be good to spend some time visiting with the ones closest to her." Dorme offered a sad smile. "…feels like I'm with her again."

Anakin looked at her, appreciating her company and nodded. He returned his gaze toward his children. "Training proved to be a form of escape for them. They found a way to make themselves stronger by her death."

"Escape?" Dorme looked curiously at her friend.

"From their grief." Anakin added. "My form of escape was destructive. But I chose it because I -" He took a deep breath admitting for the first time aloud what he carried in his heart.

"Anakin?" Dorme narrowed her eyes and stepped closer.

"Because it was my fault she died."

"No. No, you're wrong." Dorme placed a hand on his upper arm. "It wasn't. It was—"

"Dorme..." He turned toward her and interrupted. "I didn't sense she was in danger until it was too late. I couldn't get to her in time. I-I was there when she boarded the ship and I did nothing to stop her. We argued and said terrible things to one another, but she was so hurt." He shook his head slowly. "She wouldn't listen to me when I told her not to board the ship."

"No one tells or makes Padme do anything. You know this. You didn't make the freighter collide into her ship. It's not your fault."

"Don't you understand? I was there. I saw it happen. I may have not caused it, but I could have stopped it …I –it was coming in so fast." He turned his back toward the garden and sighed deeply. "I wasn't strong enough to save her."

"Anakin, please." Her voice trembled and she stepped in front of him. "Please don't blame yourself. You did the best you could. There was nothing you could have done."

The two friends remained silent, grappling with guilt and grief, struggling to find a better way to live with it.

"I'm sorry. I am so so sorry, Anakin. If only I…" Dorme paused as if arriving at a revelation. "Anakin, there is something that I need to tell you..."

Cereulean eyes bore down upon her, pleading for mercy from the self-inflicted torture. And she would have gladly given it.

Dorme swallowed hard and continued, "I want you to know…" She offered another nostalgic glance toward Anakin's children. She released a defeated sigh and said, "Padme used to say 'there is a time for everything'. It's an old Nubian proverb. She used to say it to me when we were overwhelmed with work and duty and found that time was too little. I remember it anytime I find myself…falling behind. And now I ask you to remember it and its significance. The time for guilt and blame is long gone. This is the time for you to act on behalf of Padme, Luke and Leia and stop all those involved in this." The tears began to roll down her cheeks. "And when you accomplish this, it will be a time for rebuilding. But you will not be able to act or rebuild until you completely let go of your guilt and forgive yourself."

It was the first time Dorme imparted any wisdom upon him. He found himself strengthened by it. He considered the words Obi-wan imparted on him before he left, that no Jedi is meant to be flawless, that we grow by our mistakes and flaws, and therein resided true strength. "Obi-wan said this to me before he left."

"Then I think it's about time you listened."

Of all the pleadings and advice he'd received, none struck as deep as Dorme's. He couldn't deny that she was right, and out of Padme's very own mouth, Dorme has provided Anakin with an understanding of his pain. There was a time to grieve, a time to act and a time to rebuild. It was his beloved wife's own belief. He'd heard her say it very few times, but he never considered its meaning until now. It was sobering, revealing and liberating.

There was a moment of silence between them as Anakin considered her words. He nodded his head acknowledging that the words resonated in him. "Thank you, Dorme." Anakin offered a small smile. He pushed a stray brown tendril away from her face. "It would seem that I can let go my guilt, so can you."

With her eyes locked on the children, Dorme wiped away the tears and said with a shaky voice, "It's easy to offer advice to help others, but applying it to help yourself is more difficult than you can imagine. I'm bound to my guilt, Anakin."

"As was I."

Dorme offered a small smile and said, "I need to go. Please give the children, my love. I may visit them again soon."

Anakin watched her turn and walk away. It was the first glimpse of true hope in his heart. Hope that perhaps he needn't hold on to his grief as a constant reminder of his failures. He found intensely curious that Dorme was so tightly connected to her grief. He wondered for a moment if that was how he appeared to others, before Obi-wan turned from the war.

It wasn't long before he felt his children's joy intensify as they grew closer. Turning back toward the training yard, he knelt on one knee as they ran toward him.

"Daddy!" They both exclaimed, running into his embrace.

"Luke! Leia! I missed you, guys." He placed kisses on each child.

"Me too." They answered in unison.

"Oh yeah?" Anakin cocked an eyebrow deciding to invoke an game they used to play when he'd return from one of his missions. After Luke nodded, he asked, "how much?"

"This much!" Luke stretched his arms out as wide as he could.

Leia attempted to outdo her brother and piped up, "No, Daddy." She purse her lips as she shot a sideway glance toward Luke. She stretched her arms out as far as she could, even extending her fingers. "This much."

"Wow." Anakin raised his brows and nodded slowly. "That's quite a bit. I feel so loved. But I missed you both…" He stretched his long arms out, and following Leia's idea, he extended his fingers, "this much."

Leia narrowed her eyes and put her hand on her hips. "You know, Daddy, that's not fair."

Anakin smirked, "I know."

* * *

Obi-wan laid in wait as he watched Rubrik end the transmission. He paused momentarily as if thinking about the duty Dooku had charged him with. Rubrik suddenly turned and left the room, allowing the door to slide close. Obi-wan remained in his position for a long time to ensure Rubrik would not double back and catch him. As he waited he was curious of the significance of 'Order 66'. How would it affect the Jedi? Was it some sort of weapon? At best guess it could be a group of trained sith warriors. He mind questioned the battle station that was mentioned. Does it have anything to do with Order 66? Is it where the sith warriors will be stationed? Was it a tool that separatists would use to aid them in this war? There were just too many variables and a need to quickly find answers becoming more urgent as he continued to ponder the matter. Bottom line, the separatists had ambition plans that might have a larger impact than expected and could win them the war.

Obi-wan checked his surroundings and the surroundings of the conference room below. Stealthily, he jumped down and moved against the wall to the only doorway in the room. He activated the door controls and partially opened the door. He peeked out briefly to the left and the right of the corridor ensuring there were no forces waiting beyond the door.

He turned back to the console and attempted to access the transmission to discover Dooku's location. It took several moments, but was surprised to discover that he was closer to core than expected. He started to dig alittle further to find out more about the battle station and Order 66, but couldn't arrive at any results.

In the corner of his eye, he saw something move only slightly. He could sense he was not alone in the room and continued working on the console, keeping awareness on the periphery of his sight. After several long moments, it moved again. Obi-wan turned completely to face it and realized it was an arachno droid. A palm sized surveillance droid with the ability to camouflage itself to mirror its surroundings. As soon as he turned to face, it camouflaged itself, but it was too late. Obi-wan recognized it already. He reached with the force and crushed it. There was a red flashing light that slowed and faded. Obi-wan realized his time was up and drew his weapon. At the same time the room door slid open revealing several droids including three super battle droids. As soon as they opened fire, Obi-wan's blade came to life and deflected the blasts. Some of the blasts took out the smaller inferior droids while others bounced off and singed the walls. Obi-wan twirled his weapon effortlessly as he worked his way around the room destroying the droids one by one. Obi-wan swung his blade and removed the arm of one droid while decapitating another.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the great negotiator." A smooth voice caused Obi-wan to look up from the destroyed droid "Obi-wan to what do we owe the honor of your presence?" It was Rubrik standing at the entrance with a blaster pointed at him.

Obi-wan glanced at another figure that enters the room. It was the programmer, Hoyt. A lanky man about the same age as Anakin with short bantha-licked black and purple hair and brown eyes came to stand next to Rubrik.

"The murder of Senator Amidala."

"What does that have to do with us?" He casts an amused glance at Hoyt. The glint of his gold tooth could be seen.

"Plenty considering you two are responsible." Obi-wan remained cautious of the two before him. "And I intend to bring you both back to Coruscant to answer for it."

"Is that so?" Intrigued Rubrik shifted his weight to one side and smirked, "How's that going to happen, Jedi?" He looked around the room. "I don't see anyone else but you. That should be a neat trick. I'd like to see you try it."

"Trust me, you won't make it out of the system."

"So you brought your clones with you?" Hoyt finally spoke. His voice was deeper than expected for someone his size, suggesting an age that contradicted his appearance.

"No matter!" Rubrik shouted, annoyed with the pointless exchange. "You've lost, Jedi!"

"On contrary, you've both lost." Obi-wan kept aware of his surroundings and especially of the opening above him, where he dropped from. "Rubrik, you _will_ answer for the senator's death. Hoyt, you'd have a better chance of staying alive, if you return to Coruscant with me."

"What are you talking about, Jedi?" Hoyt narrowed his eyes.

"You can't win, Hoyt. Once you complete the battle station programming, Rubrik will kill you."

Rubrik immediately yelled. "Don't listen to these Jedi lies! He's desperate."

"Ask yourself, Hoyt. How are you linked to this murder?" Obi-wan paused briefly. "The droid was re-programmed with an assassin algorithm and a trigger. We know you were the one who embedded the code locally."

"Impossible! The only way to decipher a signature is by knowing the programmer's style, syntax, methods…" Hoyt pulled out a blaster and pointed it at the Jedi master. "Sounds to me like you're looking for a patsy to pin this on."

"You are forgetting one thing. Anakin is investigating the murder himself. Every piece of evidence has passed through his hands. He knows your work well enough to suggest I start with you."

"Skywalker." Hoyt swore under his breath and jerked his head in annoyance. "The last time I heard of him, he was drinking himself into oblivion. You sure he was sober when he read the code?"

"The transmission between Rubrik and Dooku confirmed the suspicion." Obi-wan looked to Rubrik. "And now all he needs to do is severe his link to you…and he walks away a free man."

Hoyt bit his lower lip and looked around on the floor for some evidence that Obi-wan words made no sense. But he found nothing to refute the claim. He slowly lowered his weapon.

"What are you doing? You don't actually believe this Jedi scum?" Rubrik chuckled nervously.

Hoyt slowly turned to face Rubrik. "You think me a fool? I can hack into anything. You said it yourself…I'm one of the best in the galaxy."

Realization dawned on Rubrik.

"Yes, I know what Dooku ordered you to do. My arachno droid was in here the whole time. And I also know you value your reputation more than your associates."

In a flash, Rubrik extended his arm toward Hoyt and another weapon extended from his sleeve. Rubrik smirked maliciously, "You know, I wasn't sure if I would really do it, Hoyt. I was thinking about hiding you and telling him I killed you."

"You're such a good liar, Rubrik". Hoyt said as he fidgeted with a small concealed device just under his sleeve. "I wonder what you would've done to my share of the pay off."

"I guess you'll never know now, will you."

"I guess not."

A blaster bolt appeared from a wall and penetrated Rubrik through the head. He instantly collapsed to the floor, his weapon clattering against the surface. Against the wall appeared another arachno droid, deactivating its camouflage and revealing a small cannon strapped to its back.

Hoyt drew his weapon on Obi-wan again. "I have no quarrel with you, Kenobi. I suggest you leave before you find yourself in the clutches of another droid being ripped to shreds."

"I don't think so."

"Look, Kenobi. I did the job Rubrik gave me. I didn't ask any questions other than what's my cut. I didn't know we were taking out a senator until after it was done. Now that you have your data, leave!"

Obi-wan used the force and snatched the weapon of Hoyt's hand. He ripped a thick sheet of metal from the wall and hurled toward Hoyt. The programmer didn't have time to react and found himself pinned against the wall with his arms trapped against his side. He tried to reach his wrist control to summon a droid. But before he could make contact, the device removed itself his from wrist and fell to the floor.

"Not this time, Hoyt." Obi-wan slowly walked toward him, "this time, you will give me the answers I seek and then you will accompany me back to Coruscant."

"I don't know anything." Hoyt struggled against his makeshift prison.

"I think you do. And if you don't, I know you can find out for me."

"Let me out of here Kenobi!" Hoyt continued to struggle. "Come'on!" With every unsuccessful twist and tug, Hoyt became more and more exasperated.

Noting the beads of sweat starting to form on the hacker's forehead, Obi-wan asked. "You're claustrophobic?"

"Yes! Now would you please get me out of here?"

"Tell me what I want to know first."

"Alright, alright." Hoyt sighed, "I'll talk, but you gotta promise you'll let me out of this."

"I want full disclosure, Hoyt. No half truths or omissions."

"Ok."

"Then, you have my word." 


	19. Nineteen

Obi-wan pulled up a chair and casually took a seat. "Let's start with the obvious. Who ordered the senator's death?"

Hoyt took a deep breath to calm his rising anxiety and said, "Rubrik got the order from Dooku about a few weeks before we set it up."

"Why did he want her dead?"

"I don't know." Hoyt closed his eyes and lowered his head. "When we get a job, we typically don't ask the whys and what fors."

"Fair enough. Who else was involved?"

"Just myself, Rubrik and…"

"Who else?"

"Rubrik thought it would be a good idea to get a couple patsies to do the direct work. So nothing would be traced back to us." He raised his and opened his eyes.

"It almost worked too. If the droid's self termination was thorough enough."

Hoyt jerked his head ruefully and swore under his breath. "That's how Skywalker got his hands on the code. Damn it!"

"Who were the patsies?"

"The manager at the Spek freight company and some other woman."

"Who?"

"I don't know, Kenobi." He blinked a few times and braced himself against the binding. "I never met her before. Sh-She used to be under the service of royalty…some king or whatever. She was a royal guard or something like that. I didn't know much about her. Rubrik said the less I knew the better. The only thing he said about her was that she was as straight as they come, but that everybody had a turning point and he would just have to find hers and use it. She was the key to the whole operation."

"What was her role?"

"Don't know. Didn't care. Only Rubrik knew…My part was programming the droids. Rubrik worked everything else."

Obi-wan paused looked momentarily at the body of the assassin. "Why go through such elaborate lengths to make it look like an accident? A bomb could have been used. A sniper. Anything."

"Dooku contacted him again and the job changed to a two part job that needed to be completed simultaneously. There was no way he could do a job in the core and another in the mid rim on the same day. So Rubrik did some research and come up with a plan. Taking the senator out was part A of the plan."

"And part B?"

"Taking out some rogue banker on Kasshyk."

"I take it that he completed that personally."

"Yes! Now would you let me out?"

"Tell me about this battle station."

He sighed and groaned. "I don't know anything about that."

"Come'on Hoyt! You were setting up the station's network and programming infrastructure. You know something."

"I think I am going to be sick, Kenobi."

"Then I suggest you hurry."

"According to the designs, it was supposed to be a huge battle station with enough fire power to destroy a planet."

Obi-wan straightened, his mouth parted. "That's impossible."

"This is only from what I have briefly seen. Construction has only just begun. I was in charge of setting the programming for the some of the station's sectors. Apparently they are using several programmers to create redundancy….whatever." Hoyt rolled his eyes.

"If what you say is true, then with that much fire power, they would have the republic on its knees."

"Precisely…You gotta admire their gumption."

"Where is it?"

"I don't know. Neither of us knew. Dooku never told us. Whatever programming I completed in the past was bundled and transmitted."

It seemed that even if the republic made it through the war somewhat intact, there was still greater threat looming over it. The battle station promised the destruction of countless lives and democracy would fall. Yet the horrors that awaited the republic seemed to pale against a greater tragedy that would soon befall the knights of the Jedi Order.

"Tell me about Order 66?"

"That is a tightly held secret. I've heard Dooku mention it only once…something about Kamino. All we knew about it was that it's supposed to neutralize the Jedi..." He coughed and said, "…Make them no longer a threat, I guess."

"How?"

"I don't know, Kenobi!" Hoyt struggled against the binding. "That's all I know, I swear. Now will you let out? Please? I'm nauseous here."

"I will release you. But I want you to hack into the systems at Kamino and find out exactly what Order 66 is."

"That's not going to be easy."

"I'm confident you'll do fine."

* * *

_Anakin didn't stop running until the ship took off. With mounting trepidation he watched as the sleek chrome craft lifted into the air. He was now powerless to protect her from harm. Part of him grew frustrated at his inability to catch her before she left their home. The rest of him...saturated with fear. Something horrible was about to take place and he could not sense when or where, but he knew he had to get to her and bring her back home as soon as possible. His mind stretched in all directions as he turned and walked back to his ship. He had no idea where she was headed, but he knew tracing her ionic trail would make guessing her trajectory all the more easier. Anakin decided then that he would follow her in his starfighter. If she didn't want to deal with him, he would at least provide extra security. He was trotting towards his ship when a sudden spike in awareness halted his feet. He slowly turned his head to see Padme's ship slowly starting its ascent skyward. The ominous feeling seemed to take hold of him._

_Anakin started to lose his breath. His chest heaved up and down and his heart pounded in his ears as if his body were telling him of an impending doom. He saw nothing out of the ordinary until a great shadow moving at great speed peeked from between two skyscrapers. Seconds later the nose and then the body, of a large YT series cargo freighter, twice the since of the Padme's ship, appeared. At top speed, it was falling diagonally downward from above with smoke issuing from the rear. Anakin quickly judged that the trajectory of both crafts would meet in a 90 degree collision. It would be a head-on impact on the left flank of the Naboo skiff. There was no room for Padme's ship to maneuver as there were several buildings narrowing paths of escape. _

_"Padme! No!"_

_He suddenly realized this was the doom he'd been sensing. There was no time to get to her. No time to contact her pilot. This would certainly kill her and all others aboard. But maybe…maybe there would be something he could do…_

_Anakin stood with legs apart and in the few seconds he had, he summoned as much of the force as he could muster. He extended both his arms before him, arching his fingers as if clutching the freighter, to pull it away from Padme's ship…so that she could make it out of that narrow space unscathed. But the ship was moving too fast and he only had a breath of time to act…He stood trembling under the fierceness of his determination and limits of his ability. Beads of sweat began to populate across his forehead. He closed his eyes and started pulling the nose of the freighter out of her path._

_The freighter moaned as it seemed to slow and turn away. But it wasn't enough…the direction of the freight's nose made no difference. The freighter's side was now facing her ship and propelling towards her nonetheless. Anakin, sensing what was about to happen, opened his eyes and force screamed._

_"PADME!"_

_A wave of force energy rippled from him in all directions, decimating his ship and shattering the window of the nearby buildings. The sound of metal colliding at high speed tore throughout the sector and punctuated Anakin's cry. The side of the freight ship slammed into the left side of Padme's ship, and a deafening explosion erupted. The two crafts impacted a glass structure beside it and plummeted to the streets below. As the mangled mass of twisted metal and fire fell, a series of explosions sounded casting large pieces of both crafts across the sector. The force of the explosion nearly knocked Anakin off the landing dock. There he lay at the edge of the platform, singed and bruised, dangerously close to his own death, with bits of burning ship parts raining down around him. He incoherently moaned her name until it was all he could hear and then everything went black._

The memorial garden commemorating the life of Padme Amidala mirrored the memorial gardens at Theed palace on a smaller scale. It was located in near the center of a large recreation park, in a secluded area housing exotic and beautiful flora across the galaxy. The entry way took the shape a path under a stone pergola with vines of wood and green trained up every pillar, cross beam and open lattice. The natural light cascaded through various openings above as well as glimpses of the increasing beauty of the gardens along the path. At the end of the path was a large circular garden. The pergola continued to the left leading half way around the garden, forming a semi-circular shape. The pillars on the right of the path were lessened in number and further apart. There were three stone benches spotting the openings between the pillars. Seated on the bench one would view the likeness of the beloved senator in a true to scale and likeness stone sculpture. She stood on a slightly raised platform which was shared with her most favorite flowers from her native Naboo. Filling out the circular memorial where more of her favored flora from various parts of the galaxy.

Anakin had not been there in nearly a year. He sat on the very same stone bench as last time, except this time he didn't have a bottle of liquor with him. He couldn't bring himself to look into the likeness of his departed wife. It was always too painful to endure…to much sorrow to escape…to much guilt to bear without the aid of alcohol. Against a will that was gradually losing sway, he slowly raised his blue eyes to the statue until he beheld her face. It was truly uncanny how realistic the likeness was. Only someone who knew Padme and loved her could have put so much of themselves into this sculpture. It was apparent that the author poured his heart and soul into the rendering. It was striking to look upon it now…one year after she was gone. It had been a long time since he last thought about the moment he lost her.

_Perhaps you lost her along before she boarded the ship_

The notion, as unpleasant as it was, startled him. With a furled brow, he pondered such a concept and realized that perhaps if he hadn't said the things he said, she wouldn't have been angry enough to ignore him at the landing dock. She wouldn't have turned his back on him as he had done to her. She would have been saved. That the notion made perfect sense was equally as disturbing as the fact that he failed to stop the freighter.

In that moment, Anakin no longer wavered in his decision. Once Padme's killers were eliminated and the danger gone, Anakin would bring Padme back from the netherworld of the force. He would reunite her with their children and cherish her every day until his last breath. It was a chance Palpatine offered. It didn't matter how the old chancellor knew about it…just that he knew of a way it could be done was enough. Anakin decided he would go to Palpatine's office and ask for his help…and the timing couldn't have been better…the first anniversary of her death. The power Palpatine promised he could protect his children and restore Padme.

"I'll make it right, Padme. I promise you." Anakin swore, "I will make it right."

The sky above turned a dark gray as an ominous feeling began to take hold. The sky had been the darkest he had ever seen at such a time of the day. He furled his brow this occurrence, suspiciously searching the skies. His eyes lowered to the statue and noticed spots of dark gray were appearing on the image. Small drops sounded on the greenery trained through the lattice above and eventually the drops were seen and heard everywhere. As the rain started to intensify his sensitivity to the force suddenly heightened by an activity he could not yet see. The energy field around him seemed to electrify and all around him seemed to fade nearly to black. Anakin realized something strange was at work here. Growing alarmed Anakin looked around him, leaning forward, looking around the pillars to see if he was alone.

A familiar disembodied voice sounded drawing his gaze to the statue, "Whether you'd bring Padme back or prevent harm to your children, your efforts will doom them as well yourself and the entire galaxy."

Anakin slowly rose to his feet. He narrowed his eyes. "Qui-Gon?"

"You are driven by love and your inability to let go…your attachment." A luminescent apparition of the departed Jedi Master walked out from behind Padme's statue, and stood before Anakin. "Both have aided Palpatine's manipulation of you."

"What would he be manipulating me for?"

"Anakin very soon certain truths will be revealed to you and you will discover there is more deception at work here than you know." Qui-Gon stepped closer. "The darkside can cloud your judgment, twisting your actions against your intentions."

"I have no choice, Qui-Gon. I have to do this." Anakin slowly shook his head, "I didn't save her… Just as I didn't save my mother." He cast his gaze down at his feet. "I need to do this…to put right everything that went wrong."

"Before you take your first step on this path, know that it's impossible to turn back."

Turning and taking several steps away from the ghostly image, Anakin recounted his reasons. "My children need her…I need her. The galaxy needs her…" He stopped and turned his shoulder toward him. "I have to do this. Whatever the cost, I will pay it." Anakin's rested on the statue's face.

"Anakin, you must accept that what has happened was meant to happen."

He looked at the spectrum across his shoulder. "Why? She didn't have to die! What possible purpose could there have been in her death?"

"Not even I know why the force works as it does. Padme's death just a piece of a grander design that we are not yet privy to. That is the mystery of the living force. Without that mystery we wouldn't have learned faith."

Anakin spun on his heels and walked back toward the Jedi master. With clenched teeth, he asked, "What is the purpose of faith when it has brought me nothing but pain? Why continue being a victim of the force's whims, when I could be the master of it?"

"There are some things that no one, not even the most powerful of Jedi can control. The Sith fool themselves into believing the will of the force is a thing to be controlled. The path you would choose to walk is one wrought with a greater pain and sorrow than you can possibly imagine." Qui-Gon paused, sullenly considering his next words. "You would live the rest of your days a lesser man than you are now."

"I'm well aware of what this choice will do to me, Qui-Gon." Anakin said unwaveringly.

"So be it." Qui-Gon looked at his one-time student and narrowed his eyes. "I had hoped to spare you this."

"Spare me what?"

"See with your own eyes what lies before you…"

**The edges of reality violently shook. The world around him completed faded to black. A deafening roar sounded as everything seemed to melt into another reality. At first he could see nothing, not his hand before his face or the person weeping before him. As the darkness began to lighten, he could only make out dark shapes and shadows around him. And soon he was able to recognize that it was a woman crying before him. She was kneeling before him weeping.**

**"Ani? Ani?"**

**He quickly recognized the voice and realized it was the shape of his own mother, Shmi Skywalker, kneeling before him. Though he couldn't see her face, he knew it was her.**

**"Mom?"**

**"Ani…You've betrayed me. Why?"**

**"Mom, I-I haven't. I would never."**

**Anakin reached out to hold her by the shoulders and stand her up. But she spoke more firmly, "You've betrayed me."**

**With an agonized cry, her shadow dissipated into the surrounding darkness before he could make contact with her.**

**To his left was another dark silhouette of a woman standing in the darkness. Already knowing who it would be, his heart shuttered and his breath grew shallow.**

**"Ani?"**

**"I'm here, Padme."**

**"I needed you to be strong. You've let us down. Now he's won." There was such disappointment in her voice, echoing her feelings upon their last words before she died.**

**"What do you mean?" Anakin stepped closer. "What's happened?"**

**"He's taken them!" Padme's shadow dispersed into wisps of smoke. Her revelation now only beckoned dread in Anakin's heart.**

**The ground shook beneath his feet. He shut his eyes tight as the moaned above him. Anakin found himself permeated by the smell of burnt flesh and saw an astonishing sight. Before him were the burnt remains of the Jedi temple and the troopers stacking the lifeless bodies of Jedi younglings, padawans, knights and masters in preparation for a great pyre. He saw himself kneeling before a hooded dark lord of the Sith. He heard Obi-wan's anguished voice crying out at him, growing louder.**

**"You were the chosen one! It was said you would destroy the Sith, not join them! Bring balance to the force, not leave it in darkness!"**

**"I hate you!" was the murderous response emanating from his own lips.**

**"You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you!" By Obi-wan's own admission of love, he defied the outdated Jedi code. It was another characteristic unexpected of him. The image of Obi-wan's pain-wrought expression was unbearable. Tears and sweat mingled with the soot covering his face as he reluctantly turned his back…a demonstration of his ability to detach.**

**Suddenly Anakin's field of vision was wreathed in flames and ash. He shut his eyes and the only sound audible was the sound of mechanical breathing that strangely synced with his own. He opened his eyes to see a world through red lenses. His arms and legs were not flesh and bone, but cybernetic. He touched his face and found a mask that now encased the last vestiges of his humanity. Before him, lay the bodies of the lives destroyed by his hand and he could feel the agony of the survivors. He saw the tyranny the galaxy had fallen into. There were disembodied screams of men, women and children begging for mercy, shouting their anger at his betrayal of them. Cities were burning, collapsing unto themselves. A gruesome battle station that destroyed planets faded into view. It slowly turned its eye toward the blue planet, Naboo, blasting all vestiges of it across the stars. Slavery was reinstated, destroying long standing cultures, legacies and families. Men, woman and children were scattered all over galaxy.**

**Anakin's children had grown into strong young adults, now advocates of the darkside. Their blue and brown eyes were now characteristic of their Sith upbringing - red rimmed yellow. Padme's memorial garden was destroyed, consumed by flames ignited by her own children. Anakin saw himself, Luke and Leia battling a dark figure and destroying it. He was seated on a throne looking down upon a spectacle before him. Luke and Leia were fighting each other viciously to the death for the privilege of standing at their father's side, to become his apprentice. As one fell and the other rose, the vision ended and Anakin, overwhelmed with great and terrible agony and horror, release a most anguish cry.**

"Nooo!" The vision evaporated before him like smoke into thin air, leaving him on all fours, shaking and gasping for air. The large raindrops blasted against his cloak and clothes, saturating his hair. It was more than he expected to see or know about what awaited him. The pit of his stomach churned and twisted with revulsion. He shut his eyes against the vertigo and lasting images of the great horrors he'd witnessed.

Anakin sobbed as he saw for himself what was at stake and part of himself started to question...would bringing her back be worth it? What he would become disgusted him so much that he emptied his contents of his stomach.

"This is only but a glimpse of what faces you should you turn from the light." Qui-gon said sympathetically.

"I-I become a-a monster! The galaxy! Luke and Leia! I-I let them..." Anakin straightened on his knees. "That can't be right!" He ran a shaking hand through his tawny wet locks. "How could I let this happen?"

"By turning from the light you allowed yourself to be corrupted by the use of the darkside. You were no longer Anakin Skywalker, but an agent of the darkside, evil and twisted. Your lust for power would become insatiable, devouring all other allegiances…including love."

"Padme…I didn't see her..." Anakin swallowed, "Where is she?"

Qui-gon sadly looked upon the overwhelmed young man and said, "You don't see her because she is not with you."

Narrowing his eyes slightly, as he continued to breathe heavy he asked, "What does that mean?"

"She is not in your future."

Qui-gon's meaning was cryptic. Regardless of whether bringing her back from the dead was a failure, regardless of whether it was by choice or fate…she would not be at his side and that was irrevocable. This concept started to roll around the forefront of his mind, against his will blooming into a very real possibility that he may have to let Padme go.

The comfort of Qui-gon's voice was palpable as he continued, "But you can prevent any of this from happening. Place your trust in the force."

With a shaking voice, Anakin asked. "Tell me how can I ever trust in it again?"

Qui-gon paused before answering. "I can't restore your faith for you, Anakin. You'll have to discover that on your own."

"I can't." He shook his head miserably and rose his gaze to the statue's face. "So much has been taken from me."

"Instead of seeing what was taken, look at what was given. Know that the force led you to Padme for a reason. That it called her home for a reason. Everything that exists in the force, exists for a time. You are being challenged to let go of your guilt. Accept the challenge, Anakin. Your children have found their strength through her death, it is time you found yours."

Anakin looked down at the grass beneath his knees as Qui-gon's words resonated. Was it possible to find strength in her death?

Something deep inside ignited in him. He didn't yet know or understand what was happening, but it was the blossoming of a revelation and like a voracious plague it spread. It spoke to his need to hold on. Letting go was the hardest thing to do, but it was only way he'd grow and be strong enough to protect his children.

He suddenly remembered Padme's plea. 'It's time you forgave yourself, so that you can heal and be strong again…I need you strong…so that you can help us.'

There was still a question as to the identity of the opponent requiring such strength from him. Anakin looked up again. "Qui-gon?"

The apparition was gone, disappearing in the moment it took for the revelation to take hold. And it was clear what the next step had to be. Anakin stood up and took one last look at his wife's likeness and left the memorial gardens.


	20. Twenty

Anakin walked beside Chancellor Palpatine as they passed through the anteroom between the main and private offices.

"It certainly is a surprise to see you, Anakin." Palpatine remarked, studying Anakin with concerned eyes. "Considering the significance of this day, it comes as no surprise that you are troubled."

Anakin nodded his head in agreement, "I went to the memorial gardens today. It's almost a year since I last been there." He paused, remembering Qui-gon's disturbing revelations. "I find myself pressed between two alternatives…one leading to what I want most but promising doom to all I hold dear."

"And the other?"

"The other I just—I can't…" Displeased with the possibility of letting Padme go and leaving the fate of his children unknown, he sighed despondently, not caring to finish.

Palpatine offered a sympathetic grimace and said, "It pains me to see you grieving for such a long time. She was unfairly taken from you and a deep festering wound remains in her place that will not and cannot heal no matter how much time passes. We all can see this. But you can end your sorrow, Anakin. If only you would learn the subtleties of the force. The Jedi are unwilling to help you there."

For someone as well learned as his friend, Palpatine, he seemed to know much more than the average person looking to sate their own curiosities. Palpatine's opinion of the Jedi suggested something that was once too vague and imperceptible for Anakin to notice before. But a thought entered his mind that begged a question that seemed absurd in its origin, but in depth was sound and reasonable. He miserably looked over his shoulder at his friend. "How do you know so much about the force?"

Palpatine smiled and said, "My mentor introduced me to many philosophies and walks of life."

With his hairs beginning to stand on end, Anakin stopped walking and turned to face him. It was a generic response, possibly eluding to a startling new perspective. Details of which he was not sure he wanted to know. Details of which he knew could change the course of his relationship with a man he'd spent years looking up to. Part of him didn't want to ask, but not knowing compelled him."Including the ways of the force?" It came as more of a statement than a question.

Palpatine continued walking slowly toward the main office. As he answered, the tone of his voice grew distant and dark, hinting at a hidden malice. "The light… as well as the dark."

The darkside of the force?

Anakin eyes darted around the floor in surprise as if doused with a cold water. His mind hurried to process this new information. According to his training, once you access the darkside of the force, there was no genuine benevolence, kind act or altruistic desire. There was only calculation, deception and manipulation, cruelty and malice…A malevolence that only reflected their need to sate their thirst for power and domination. He quickly recovered and tried to shield his shock. "And if I would be interested in gaining this power, who would teach me?" He already knew the answer, but it was an effort to prove his fears unfounded.

Palpatine slowed to a stop. Without turning his back he answered, "You would learn this power from me, Anakin."

His fears confirmed, Anakin could feel the anger begin to ignite in the well of his heart. He had been deceived by one who he trusted and defended…even against Padme. Seething, Anakin narrowed his eyes, "You're a Sith!"

"I am. But does that change me from the man you've known me to be?" Palpatine turned and faced the younger man and continued, "You're reaction is typical of narrow minded Jedi training. They teach that all Sith are evil and the same. That is their equalizer…classifying my kind into one stereotype, one archetype. Yet they teach tolerance. They are but hypocrites and liars, bigots and ignorant."

"Who are you to call them hypocrites and liars? Isn't that a fair description of yourself? You kept your true self a secret, deceiving everyone including me. That is the true mark of a Sith. They use their power for evil and think only of themselves. The Jedi only care about others. They use their power for good."

"Good and evil are in the eyes of the beholder, Anakin…subject to opinion and point of view." Palapatine said. "I offer you the power to restore your wife, body and soul. Through me, you can gain the power to protect those closest to you, making any offense pointless."

Anakin only watched partially in disbelief and partially circumspective, unable to reconcile the person before him with the friend he confided in only moments ago.

Palpatine continued as the two of them started to slowly circle one another. "You have no allegiance to the Jedi. A horrific event and their unwillingness to help you has led you to part ways with them. I have watched you progress and grow strong all these years, Anakin. But the Jedi would have you believe you are less powerful than you truly are." His voice taking on an edge, Palpatine continued, "They have tamed you, my friend. They have hindered your growth, and kept you under their boot. Use my knowledge and rise to your full potential. Break through the fog their lies have created and wield a power greater than any other. Think of your children, Anakin. The threat still exists for Luke and Leia. I only wish to help you keep them safe. They are your legacy, one that should never be lost. They will need to be protected from all dangers both seen and unseen."

Anakin looked away and reconsidered the seductive promise, yet he could not ignore where that path would lead. He would become something far worse than he could imagine and there would be no turning back. With a voice shaking with restrained rage, Anakin answered, "I would become your apprentice and cease being the man my family has known and loved. I would come to represent tyranny, death and fear…I become a slave again. I'd be part of something my wife stood against. I would restore Padme just to lose her again. I would protect my children from everything and everyone but themselves."

In that moment Anakin finally understood who the mysterious enemy was. Suddenly he knew the identity of the man, Padme feared and prayed he'd save the children from. Anakin finally understood why Padme needed him to be strong, and what enemy could require such strength from him. "My family would be safe from any threat…but not from me."

Anakin raised a hardened gaze to his former friend and said with venous tone, "I do not want this power you offer me. I will not turn to the darkside. And I will not be a pawn in your political game against the Jedi."

Palpatine scoffed and answered smugly, "You say you don't want this power, but I know that in the deep corners of your mind, in the well of your soul and in the core of your heart, you do. But since you are so sure of your decision, what do you plan to do now you know who I truly am?"

Anakin realized that for years the chancellor had been incessantly feeding into his frustrations with the Jedi. Palpatine was grooming him to defect from the Jedi by poisoning his perceptions, exploiting his insecurities and manipulating him. Suddenly the dangers Keets, Bail and Padme said Palaptine represented had credence and at the same time it paled in the stark comparison to supreme chancellor being a Sith lord. Anakin began to wonder if killing Padme not only served to silence her, but to use her death to make him defect from the Jedi and turn him to the darkside. And Palpatine had come very close to achieving that. Still this was but a large piece of the puzzle. Palpatine being a Sith also meant that Dooku was his apprentice and he was playing both sides of the war…but to what end? What was the end game? It all gave him a chill that crawled up his spine as he looked in to the cold and calculating eyes before him. He didn't want to believe that he had been so blind and tread so close to the darkside.

Knowing what he knew now, feeling what he now felt, Anakin found it revolting to be in his presence. He realized now how foolish he had been to rule out Palpatine's involvement in Padme's death. The thought of his involvement threatened to trigger a rage he hadn't tapped into since the day his mother died.

_"The day will come when you will see for yourself what kind of man Palpatine is. You will learn what he has been doing and it will cause you so much pain to know that you didn't listen to me; that you had your children around him; that you defended him passionately and deeply hurt me in the process…"_

The memory of Padme's last words came unbidden and struck him like a taskmaster's whip across his back. Tears welled in his eyes and the gravity of those words revealed their true weight, as his anger seared through his veins. "Killing you would've been a nice option." Anakin spoke through clenched teeth.

"I know." Palpatine answered greedily, briefly closing his eyes and savoring the anger saturating the space between them. "I can feel your anger. It gives you focus, makes you stronger."

"I will soon find out exactly what you've been doing." The urge to kill him with his bare hands was intoxicating. He struggled to keep his emotions from controlling his actions. Disgusted, Anakin took a step away. "I'm reporting you to the Jedi Council. They will decide your fate."

"You must do what you feel is right, of course, Anakin." Palpatine answered casually, "But you don't know what they will do. If they destroy me, any chance of saving your children and reclaiming your wife dies with me."

* * *

Anakin passed through the great hall of the Jedi temple, and traveled up to the war room still in shock from what he had just learned. He started to feel as though this was all some sort of crazy dream. His emotions were in turmoil morphing from anger, disappointment and disbelief. He passed through the threshold and saw several Masters and knights clustered around a holo projector. As he descended the stairs into the room, the transmission they received ended.

Shaak-Ti turned her head toward him as the group of Jedi turned to exit the room. "Anakin."

Stopping in the middle of the stairs, Anakin addressed them, "Masters, please excuse the interruption. There is a larger problem at hand."

"Make it quick, Skywalker. We've just received word that Count Dooku's ship was spotted near the Core." Master Mace Windu said as he continued up the stairs.

"If we catch him, this war is over." Ki Adi Mundi spoke up.

"Catching Dooku might not make a difference." Anakin took a deep breath and uttered the words he still found hard to believe. "Chancellor Palpatine is a Sith."

The masters were visibly taken aback, stopping in their tracks. There were several furled brows and visages of astonishment exchanged among them.

Now standing beside Anakin on the stairs, Mace turned to completely face the former Jedi knight and asked with a furled brow, "A Sith Lord? You're certain of this?"

Anakin nodded.

"How do you know?" Shaak-Ti stepped closer.

"He's been trained. He knows the ways of the force. The darkside of the force surrounds him." Anakin answered.

"I have been sensing that these past few days." Mace said solemnly. "Removing him from power will require the Jedi to temporarily assume control of the senate."

"That could easily back fire on us, especially since the chancellor has allies everywhere." Shaak-Ti glanced over her shoulder at another master.

"We'd have to be extremely careful. He has control of the senate and the courts. There will be opposition everywhere." Mace turned his gaze to the group of Jedi behind him.

"And there's a greater threat to consider…control of the clones." Ki Adi added.

Anakin stated, "The clones are under the command of the senate."

"Who are also under the influence of the chancellor."

Aayla Secura's voice was heard as she stepped into view. "Whatever we decide to do it must be done quickly."

"What about Dooku?" Ki Adi asked, "He still must be captured."

Nodding his head at a solution, Mace addressed the masters and knights, "We'll send three masters with additional clone support to apprehend Dooku. If we are lucky, we'll catch both the master and the apprentice in one fell swoop."

"You're going to need help. Palpatine is very powerful." Anakin looked at Mace. "And he will not go easily."

"Indeed." Mace nodded. "We'll take it from here, Anakin. Wait for us in the council chambers."

Anakin watched exit the war room and disappear around the corner toward the turbolifts, as an ominous sense of dread began to seep into his bones.

* * *

It had been at been nearly three rotations since Hoyt started hacking into the Kaminoan database. Circumventing the network security was not as difficult as locating the information they needed. It was clear to Hoyt that file encryption and disorganization was yet another security measure, but it was nothing he hadn't seen before.

Obi-wan had been watching the screen and the young man with a wary eye. Standing behind the seated captive with folded arms, he provided a second set of eyes to catch what Hoyt might have missed or tried to hide.

Hoyt rubbed his eyes and looked over his shoulder at the Jedi. "I know you are tired of hearing me say this but I don't think this file is here. I've gone through almost everything here."

"No. It's got to be there. Keep looking."

Hoyt turned and continued sifting through the mish mash of data which appeared to be an endless stream of encryption.

"Stop what's that?"

"What's what?" Hoy asked annoyed.

"Three-quarters down the screen…Prime sub directive order 184/66."

Hoyt adjusted his glasses and scanned the data again. He paused and smirked. "You've got good eyes for an old man, Kenobi."

"Better to have an extra set when handy…open the file."

It took several minutes to crack the authorization and authentication policies before he was successful. The contents of the file were in another endless stream of information, filing every line and space available on the screen. Hoyt leaned in closer to read the small characters.

Hoyt straightened in his seat and was agape.

"What is it?"

"I—I don't…don't believe it." He looked over his shoulder at the Jedi. "Kenobi, you and the rest of the Jedi are doomed. There is no way out of this one." Hoyt turned and started to read as Obi-wan followed along, "Under prime sub directive order 184/66—order 66—all Jedi are enemies of the republic and are to be destroyed immediately. Therefore all clone commanders must order clonetroopers under their command to execute all and any Jedi on sight and ensure 0% survival. This measure will be carried out immediately after the order is issued by the chancellor. Thereafter, all clone commanders are answerable only to the chancellor."

Obi-wan slowly stepped away from the screen and folded his arms. "This has to be some sort of mistake. This can't be possible. Why would the chancellor give such an order?" He rubbed his beard pensively as the ramifications of this revelation took hold. He turned back to the hacker and asked, "When was the order installed?"

"Going by the file creation date…over 10 years ago."

"Who is responsible for this order?"

"It says a Jedi Master named…Si-Sifo D-"

"Sifo-Dyas. And I seriously doubt that who's really behind it."

"Obviously. Why would a Jedi want to kill his own kind?"

"It's more likely that Count Dooku's involved." Obi-wan considered the Count's words back on Genosis just before the war started. "Or his master…"

_What if I told you the senate was now under the influence of a Sith Lord. _

_No. That's impossible. The Jedi would know it._

_The darkside clouds everything._

"Try to find out the scope of this programming. I want to know many commanders were affected."

Obi turned toward the communication console and began vigorously punching keys. The thought that the Sith Lord could be influencing the senate and that the chancellor could only give an order to kill the Jedi suggested a thing far worse than he or any on the council could have predicted. It was hard to swallow…almost ridiculous to consider. Nevertheless the Jedi were running out of time. Realizing that this could mean the end of the Order, it was imperative he get a message out to the council and inform them of what he'd just discovered. But there was something wrong with the signal.

"Why am I not getting a signal?"

"I can't get through either. My link to the database was severed just now. Let me see." Hoyt reached over and attempted to adjust the settings on Obi-wan's console. "Try it now."

"No. Nothing."

Hoyt turned back to his own console and reconfigured the connection and tried again. After seeing another failure, he shook his head and said, "Then only thing I can think of is that something is jamming the signal."

Obi-wan furled his brow. "What could be—". Sensing that time was now against them, he looked over at the young man said, "It's time we leave, Hoyt."

"Wait." Hoyt raised a hand. "You're still taking me in?"

"Of course." Obi-wan said with an incredulous expression. Suddenly the distance between Hoyt's wrists shrunk as if both held positive and negative charges as they were fastened together by some invisible restraint. Hoyt pulled and twisted his hands apart and was unsuccessful.

"Come'on, Kenobi! Cut me some slack. I just helped you find out about a plot to wipe out the Jedi…Don't I get something for that?"

"Compared to your part in killing a beloved senator? I don't think the courts or the senate will show you any mercy. Let's get going."

With a hand placed under Hoyt's arm, Obi-wan hoisted him to his feet and made him lead the way out of the room.


	21. Twenty One

An ominous sense of dread slowly began to percolate as Anakin considered the likelihood of the Jedi Masters' success. It was expected that by nightfall, Palpatine would be in chains and the threat of the Sith would have ended before it began. But something in the crevices of his mind sensed something far worse than Palpatine's probable escape. Was this just his fear getting the better of him?

_Fear_

The fear that always clung to him, that lay in wait in the lower chambers of his heart, was facing life after Padme's assassin was brought justice. After it was all said and done, he'd still have to face the void…the emptiness that awaited him in the quiet hours of the night. For all his efforts in bringing the case to a close would do nothing to bring Padme back to him. There would be no escape, neither by substance nor distraction, to save him from facing the rawest reality. The impact of Padme's absence would be more keenly felt in these days. This was his secret dread and private nightmare.

As his solitude continued in the Jedi council chambers, Anakin turned his thoughts to his resistance to the allure of the darkside. As difficult as the decision was to turn his back on restoring Padme, a harsher reality of what he'd become if he had given in would have set in place. Achieving what he wanted most would spell the doom of all and make him a man Padme would have never recognized. After the vision in the garden, Qui-gon said Padme was not at his side. Whether it was by choice or by fate, she wasn't there and by then it would be too late to go back. A small part of him that lay dormant seemed to have awakened after he left Palpatine's office. His senses seemed to have heighted by some small measure. It was like a reclaiming a lost fragment of himself. The fog of self-doubt and distrust was beginning to thin, bringing the promise of healing.

Seated in one of the chairs, he sat with his forearms balanced on his knees. His cerulean eyes scanned the windows, floors and doors of the chamber. It had been a long time since he last stood in this room. He remembered his first time as a boy standing with Obi-wan and Qui-gon. He looked at the circular design on the marble floor and remembered a time when it looked so much bigger than it appeared now. He remembered standing on the same spot and being assigned his first mission to protect Padme. He remembered standing there, with Padme just outside the door, as he announced his marriage to her. Anakin didn't realize this room would remind him so much of the man he once was…the man Padme loved. It was startling that there now existed a growing part of him that wanted to reclaim that identity and be that man once again.

_Be a knight again?_

It was impossible. Impossible to be the same man he was before she died…impossible to see life as he did back then. He was permanently altered…damaged.

Anakin scoffed and disregarded the notion, choosing to bury it in another thought to preoccupy his mind. As if sensing the need for a distraction his holotransceiver sounded. Drawing it from his pocket, Anakin activated the transmission and his droids immediately came into view in the palm of his hand.

"Yes, Threepio. What is it?"

"Master Anakin, you wanted to be notified as soon as Artoo completed the traceroute. If you wish to review the results, he will forward them to you."

"Of course. Send it to me." Anakin set the holotransceiver on the arm of the chair and withdrew his datapad.

The golden droid turned to the off screen mech droid and said, "Go ahead, Artoo." He turned his luminescent eyes back to Anakin and continued, "Also a 'Ms. Silver' attempted to contact you through the encrypted channel."

Anakin furled his brow. "What about?"

"She didn't say…only that she urgently needs to meet with you."

The red indicator on datapad signaled the arrival of the transmission. He activated it and studied the traceroute path and results. Anakin allowed a long moment of silence as he stared at the coordinates. He couldn't believe what he was seeing and nearly willed it to somehow make sense. With his thumb and index finger, he rubbed his eyes, blinking and widening them as if believing his eyes to be deceiving him.

"Is anything wrong, sir?" Threepio cocked his head to the side.

"Artoo, are you sure these coordinates are correct?" He asked without looking. It wasn't that he doubted Artoo's quality of work. It was just that the results were so questionable.

Artoo whistled to the affirmative.

"I know." Anakin sighed, resigning to the validity of the results. "It's just that this implies that…No, it can't right." He stood up and started to pace. "It can't be."

"There is probably a good explanation for it, Master Anakin."

"There probably is."

"Master Anakin, you look tired. Perhaps you should return and get some rest. By tomorrow you'll have this all sorted out."

Anakin shook his head and turned toward Threepio's image. "This can't wait, Threepio. I'm going to get to the bottom of this now." Scooping up the transceiver from chair, Anakin quickly started out of the council chambers. "Patch all encrypted incoming transmissions to my comlink."

"Of course, sir." Threepio nodded. "And what should I tell Ms. Silver?"

"I'll see her when I return." Anakin ended the transmission as soon as he passed through the doors.

* * *

The order to annihilate the Jedi could be given on any day at any moment and against the enormous threat looming in the fog of the darkside, there could be no defense. The knights were scattered across the galaxy in a thin layer of defense against separatists, leading an army of millions that could turn against them in a heartbeat. The assault would be unexpected and astounding. While the sheer count of Jedi was nothing to scoff at since they prospered in the millennia following the Sith wars, it paled in comparison to the number of clones under each Jedi knight's command. Knowing Order 66 could only be initiated by the direct order of the chancellor only added to the girth of danger surrounding the Jedi.

_Was the chancellor being influenced by the Sith?_

Previously the notion would have been absurd to consider, but now it's certainly plausible. Like the other members of the council, Obi-wan's distrust of the Chancellor grew with each passing year he held office beyond the end of his term. With the war being the chancellor's excuse for staying in office, Obi-wan knew as well as any Jedi or politician that war often led to the accumulation of power. It was exactly what transpired before the eyes of the Republic with some unsuccessful objections. It only pronounced the depth of political corruption.

_Absolute power corrupts absolutely._ It was something the Jedi observed in their often cool relationship with politicians. It was something Obi-wan kept in the back of his mind during the early days of the clone war, emergency powers coalesced around Palpatine. There is some other will at work, yet the intention is still unclear.

Amid his musings, Obi-wan considered the battle station which had taken a backseat to the discovery of Order 66. According to Hoyt this abomination would bring the galaxy to its knees. Everyone would feel the yoke of tyranny and all would suffer. Danger encompassed not only the Jedi but also the republic and with the threat of the clones under the direct control of the chancellor, the end was inevitable. The separatists couldn't possibly intended to go this far to win the war. It would only suggest the hand of a darker power.

_Why would the Sith choose to influence the senate through the chancellor, if they were clearly influencing the Separatist movement? What could they have to gain by manipulating both sides of the war?_

Perhaps the Sith planned to eliminate Palpatine and take his place…still, all the facts didn't add up. There were still much to learn.

With Hoyt walking in front, Obi-wan made his way out of the room and along the corridor. As they moved further away from the conference room and toward the west elevator banks. They could both hear the distant sounds of combat.

Hoyt looked over his shoulders in annoyance, "What. You brought your clones? For little ole me? I'm flattered."

Hearing the conflict, the Jedi master wasn't sure what the conflict could be, but something urged him not to go toward it. It couldn't have been the clones as they were ordered to maintain orbit until summoned for additional support. Instead of heading toward the west elevators, Obi-wan and Hoyt turned and headed in the opposite direction to the east elevator bank. The control console between the elevators didn't indicate any activity. In fact it was deactivated.

Obi-wan looked at Hoyt. "The elevators are deactivated."

"To keep you from escaping when Rubrik and I discovered you were here."

"Activate them now."

Hoyt rolled his eyes and sighed. With his wrists still linked together by the force, Hoyt punched in a sequence code and spoke his passcode. "Delta 8, 5,9 - 10…Hoyt."

With a soothing voice, the computer complied. "Programmer, Hoyt. Security protocol deactivated." The elevator indicator lights came alive and the doors opened.

Hoyt looked over his shoulder at Obi-wan with a wry expression. "Happy?"

"Not until we are clear of this system."

As they stepped into the elevator, Hoyt spoke, "Do you really think you are going to make it out of here? The fortress guards have the place surrounded and you are severely outnumbered."

"Right now, it sounds like they are pre-occupied." Obi-wan pushed a button, "I'm certain a solution will present itself."

"So you don't have a plan." He said flatly as the elevator began its descent.

"Not one I care to share with you, Hoyt." Obi-wan said with a pleasant smile.

The sounds of gunfire, shouts and blaster bolts grew louder as the elevator dropped closer to the lower floors.

"What's going on out there?" Obi-wan muttered to himself as the sounds were now above and below them.

The shouting of one combatant was heard over the din of the battle. It was unmistakable. Hoyt shot a glance at him from the corner of his eye and smirked. "It sounds like your clones are introducing themselves to the guards."

Obi-wan knew that the clones would never disobey a direct order unless they received orders by someone with more authority. The hairs on Obi-wan's neck began to stand as realization set in. It was very likely that Order 66 was executed and that, unbeknownst to the fortress guards, he was the target of this attack.

Withdrawing the comlink from the pouch on his belt, he glanced at Hoyt. "Can you communicate with a mech droid?"

"Why?" Hoyt asked with narrowed eyes.

Obi-wan turned to face him and said, "Because I need you to translate…truthfully."

"Only if you let me go."

"To the clones? Of course."

Shaking his head, Hoyt gestured a thumb at himself. "They're not after me, Kenobi." He pointed a finger toward the Jedi and widened his eyes. "They're after you."

"It's fair to believe that those who created Order 66 to rid themselves of the Jedi are same persons behind the senator's death. And that party has recently declared a desire for your death to sever any connection to the murder. If my conclusive powers have not failed me, I would think if Order 66 is indeed in effect, and they would now know whatever the clones know. If they catch you, you will be interrogated and then put to death."

Unable to argue with the Jedi, Hoyt answered through clenched teeth. "Fine."

"Glad we have finally found common ground. Now, translate exactly what you hear. I will know if you try to deceive me." Obi-wan spoke into the comlink. "R4, there is unauthorized clone movement. Can you tell me what's going on?"

After the droid uttered a long series of sounds, Hoyt looked at Obi-wan in surprise and smirked. "Looks like your number is up, Kenobi. Your droid says that the clones have been trying to make contact with you for the last hour. They have sent transmissions asking that you return to the cruiser. He spotted three shuttles, landing near the fortress."

"Then if we are going to make it out of here alive, we are going to have to work together." Obi-wan turned back to the comlink. "R4 continue radio silence, until I contact you again."

"Can I assume a plan has presented itself?"

Before Obi-wan could respond, the elevator stopped. With the activation and movement of the elevator, it was possible that it drew the attention of the clones. They both exchanged wary glances, wondering what was on the other side of the doors. There was no sound of combat, no shouting or blaster bolts slamming into flesh. Obi-wan jerked his chin toward the opposite side of the doors, suggesting they both stand on either side. Silently Hoyt raised his wrists, and looked pointedly at them, mouthing, "Release me."

Obi-wan knew that once freed, Hoyt would be looking to escape his custody as well as the clones. Without the customary wave of a hand, Obi-wan released Hoyt's wrists. They both stood flush against the panels, waiting for the doors to open.

The doors slowly opened, allowing smoke and the stench of burnt flesh to sail into the metal box. Obi-wan and Hoyt slowly peered out. There were bodies littered about the floor, debris scattered everywhere...and no clone trooper was in sight, though their voices and footsteps could be heard nearby.

"Any sign of Kenobi?"

"No reports of him from the teams outside."

"We'll get him soon enough. The teams are on their way to the upper levels now. By now the exits and the docking bay are covered. He's got no way out."

"What if he's already left the fortress?"

"No matter. There are troopers combing the debris field."

With his worst fears confirmed, Obi-wan turned to Hoyt, "It looks like there are a two of them patrolling this level."

"And there are stationed guards near the level exits." Hoyt still peering out of the doors.

Obi-wan took a moment to consider the next move.

"Well? We can't stay here."

"We'll have to get to the ships docked in the docking bay."

Hoyt furled his brow, "This is your plan? You heard the clones! There are teams scouting the grounds as we speak. The docking bay is covered. They are making sure we don't make it out of here. How the hell are we going to take off, let alone make it to the ship? You came here in your own ship. Where is it? Why can't we take yours?"

"Because my ship is at least five miles from here. We'd have to traverse the maze of debris out there, plus avoid drawing attention to ourselves…on foot."

"I know my way through the maze and you could help with distracting the clones. There are speeders in the transport bay to side of the main gate."

"Hoyt, by the time we get to my ship, the clones may have already discovered it. If the docking bay is covered then we can assume the transport bay is covered as well. It won't work. The best thing to do, is to get to the nearest ship without calling their attention. Once aboard we can engage the deflector shields and off this planet. The docking bay is the best choice. We will at least know what we are dealing with."

Hoyt took a deep breath and nodded in agreement. "Ok, Kenobi. There are three ways to get to the docking bay," enumerating on his fingers, he continued, "the east tower, the main docking bay doors and the maintenance sublevel."

"Obviously the main docking bay doors will not work. They will know that is an obvious access point. What about the other two ways?"

"The maintenance sublevel runs directly under the docking bay."

"We can take that way."

Hoyt shook his head, "The exit hatches are located towards the center of the bay. We come out there and the clones will have us for sure. The only way is the east tower. We can come out directly in front of the boarding ramp to one of the ships. We'll have to take the overpass to get to the east tower. I can magnetically seal the doors to the overpass. That will stop them from following us if they find out. It's just a few meters down the hall." He pointed towards his left.

"Then we'd better get going."

Through the various twists and turns of the corridor, the unlikely pair quietly made their way to the overpass doors. They found themselves going from one room to another corridor and from one corridor to another room to avoid being seen. Captor and captive; fugitives, strangely working as a team for mutual survival. It was something Obi-wan marveled at throughout their movement. He and Hoyt found themselves hunched down with their backs against two cargo bins for cover. They each turned and looked over their shoulders to see two troopers both standing at attention with their backs facing them. One stood before Obi-wan and the other in front of Hoyt.

Obi-wan whispered, "I thought you said it was a few meters down the hall?"

"I didn't realize we were on the far side of the tower. So instead of taking the long way around, I took a short cut." Hoyt whispered back.

"You call that a short cut?"

Hoyt rolled his eyes. "I didn't know there would be so many clones in the near the atrium."

"Are we any closer?"

"Look over your shoulder, Kenobi."

Obi-wan peered out around the trooper and saw a large round door with what looked like a biometric control panel to the side of it. "Can you get us through?"

"Yes."

"Let's go." Obi-wan and Hoyt stood up and grabbed a trooper and yanked them behind the cargo bin. Hoyt didn't prove to be handy in a fight, being quickly overcome by one of the troopers. Obi-wan's lightsaber came to life slicing the arm off of one trooper while narrowing missing the blast bolt from the other trooper. Obi-wan turned around in time to see the clone aiming a blaster at him. A blaster went off and the clone collapsed to the floor, revealing Hoyt standing there holding a smoking blaster. They each exchanged nods of acknowledgement and headed for the overpass door before any patrolling troopers stumble upon the scene.

Without wasting time, Hoyt punched in a 5 digit code and pressed his hand against the palm reader. With a soft ding the overpass door slid up with a hiss. Obi-wan stepped in first and realized that the top half the tube shaped bridge was made of glass. With a clear view of the docking bay, Obi-wan spied two large docked ships, both surrounded by several clones. He couldn't help noticing the location of maintenance hatches and realized that exit would have easily spelled their doom. He turned back to Hoyt and said, "Seal the doors. We'll have to crawl across so they will not see us."

"I can open the doors on the other side from here. Go ahead I'll be right behind you."

Obi-wan hesitated at first as he began to feel the first tendrils of deception from Hoyt. As Hoyt turned to seal the door, he got down on his hands and knees and started crawling. What the Obi-wan didn't see as he started to move along the overpass, was that Hoyt did not magnetically seal the door. Instead, he engaged the regular locking mechanism meant to slow down the clones. Hoyt did not crawl on his hands and knees as Obi-wan said. Instead he walked along the overpass ensuring that the clones would see their location. Just before Obi-wan stopped to look over his shoulder at Hoyt, the scoundrel assumed the position and was now crawling behind the Jedi.

Fired blaster bolts began slamming into the overpass, hitting the metal underside as well as creating scorch holes through the glass windows. Obi-wan and Hoyt crawled quickly through the expanse, as it seemed the clones would close in on their location in only moments.

Nearing the exit, the two men got up and ran through and entering a circular shaped elevator bank. There was an elevator flank the sides of the overpass exit. Directly across was another door with magnetic seals and a control pad beside it.

Obi-wan could hear the din of orders being given from the docking bay and the court yard. He turned and said, "Seal off the overpass exit."

Again, Hoyt didn't engage the magnetic seal instead using the standard locking mechanism. As the door slid down, the two men looked at the elevators and realized the clones had already boarded the elevators and were on their way up.

Hoyt turned to the only other way out and started working on opening the door. This time, it seemed to have taken him longer than usual. Obi-wan watched him work the access codes over and over. Seeing that Hoyt was repeatedly getting a denial message, he turned to face the overpass exit and the two elevators.

"It seems they must have changed my access key code."

Removing his weapon Obi-wan, "Try to override it and get that door open. They will be here any second, I will cover you."

"Sure thing, Kenobi."

With barely moments left, Obi-wan centered himself and prepared for the attack. Considering that these clones would be coming from both elevators and the overpass exit, the possibility of escaping was now nil.

There sounds of approaching footsteps coming from the overpass. Obi-wan knew the clones had made it passed the locked overpass entry door and were beginning to work on the control pad to gain access to their location. Obi-wan realized that Hoyt had betrayed him. Magnetically sealed doors could not be opened unless a programmer could do it or a droid. From his years of experience leading the clones, he knew they won't have a droid with them now and none among them were programmers. Feeling a sudden draft on the back of his legs, Obi-wan turned around to see Hoyt now standing on the other side of the doorway. He started to run toward the door, but it had slid shut and the magnetic seal was engaged.

"Open this door, Hoyt!" Obi-wan shouted through the metal door.

"Sorry, Kenobi. I gotta save my own hide. You and your kind are going to be wiped out anyway. The clones want you more than me. They'll be too busy zeroing in on your location to notice me taking off in my ship. It was nice knowing you."

"Blast!" Obi-wan said under his breath. He turned around and saw the elevators were about stop on his floor. He looked straight ahead and saw the clones had succeeded in rising the overpass door 6 units off the floor. He hear the commanding clone ordering another to lay down flat and see if he could get a clear shot. His doom would arrive at any moment and there was no way to escape. Only other way out was now magnetically sealed.

Obi-wan parted his legs and positioned himself defensively. Igniting his lightsaber, he whispered a prayer to force and prepared for would be his end. Even through years of training to banish the fear from his heart, he couldn't help but to acknowledge it. He was afraid of what might happen next. His eyes moved from the elevators to the overpass door, waiting patiently to see who would come out first. It was impossible for a single Jedi to survive such an attack. He started to guesstimate how many would be in each elevator and how many would be in the overpass. Concentrating and focusing his thought and energy in the here and now, as Qui gon had always taught him, he couldn't deny there exist a shadow of fear cast against his heart.

But Obi-wan's heart was strong and he would not allow such an emotion to rule his judgment. He closed eyes and exhaled, finding his center, and placing all his faith in the force. Obi-wan relaxed himself to the point where he was almost numb. He opened his eyes again as the point of a blaster found its way through the small opening in the over pass door. In the corner of his eye he could see what looked like squared shaped covering, camouflaged to blend in with the design and color of the room. Extinguishing his weapon, he moved toward it and knelt down. With an index finger, Obi-wan raised the covering to see it was actually a garbage chute. Peering into it, Obi-wan could see it was dark smelly and ran along the side of the elevator shaft and would likely end on the maintenance sublevel. Looking over his shoulder, he could see he only had seconds before the elevator and the overpass doors would open. He clipped his light weapon to his belt and climbed in, feet first.

At the rate he was falling, he realized that he would likely be killed on impact. After all, the chute wasn't designed to transport people. He needed slow down as quickly as possible. He used the sleeves of his robe to absorb the fiction as braced his hands against the walls of the chute. Slowing down, he looked below and saw a dim light rushing toward him.

Obi-wan landed in a large pit recessed into the floor filled with garbage and metal. Luckily none were jagged pieces pointing at him. He took a moment to listen for anyone else in the area, before moving toward the edge. He jumped up and grabbed the rim of the pit. Slowly pulling himself up, he looked over the edge and realized that he was in a large poorly lit room. This was the room where all the trash was collected before removal. Obi-wan quickly climbed out of the pit and exited the room. He found himself in a corridor filled with maintenance and engineering tools and supplies. There were deactivated droids and droid parts littered throughout the length of the corridor. He turned left and followed the curvature of the corridor which led to a short dark tunnel. The tunnel led him to an open room with hatches on the ceiling and ladders leading up to them. Obi-wan realized he was standing directly beneath the docking bay. He realized he could easily climb up and board one of the ships. Once he was safely aboard with the boarding ramp secure, he could engage the shields making their clones' ground assault pointless. As he moved toward the ladders, he heard a blaster go off. It was so close by that he turned around immediately and looked to see where it was from. There were sounds of commotion and clone movement. Orders were given to guard the docking bay access from the east tower. Apparently Hoyt's plan was beginning to back fire on him.

It was clear that he could not take ships in the docking bay. Thanks to Hoyt there was too much attention being drawn to the area. Obi-wan realized the only way out was his ship docked five miles away. He remembered Hoyt mentioned the land transports on the other side of the west tower. If he could get to them, he could make it to his ship in a few minutes. But there he wasn't sure if the clones had discovered it yet. This effort could be in vain, but Obi-wan had to try. He had to make it out somehow. So much now depended on him.

Obi-wan turned and ran back down the corridor and into another dark tunnel. He followed the twists and turns, until it led him to another large opening similar to the docking bay maintenance level. He approached one of the ladders positioned just under one of the hatches, and climbed.

He could hear clones talking back and forth. Taking a little more risk, he raised the hatch just enough to see what he was up against. There were seventeen clones guarding four speeders as well as the main gate. Obi-wan realized a fight between himself and seventeen clones might not end well for him. Just as he started to consider a diversionary tactic, he could hear the orders coming through one of the clones transmitters.

"The Jedi has made aboard one of the ships in the docking bay. We are under heavy fire. We are going to need support now!"

Immediately ten of the clones broke formation and moved toward Obi-wan's position. He quickly closed the hatch and realized that they were stepping over it and heading toward the docking bay. He raised the hatch again, once the clones had gone.

_Seven clones left. Good odds for any Jedi. _

Obi-wan rose from the maintenance level and removed his weapon and ignited his lightsaber. Allowing the hatch to slam close, he said casually, "Looking for me?"

The clones immediately took aim and fired. Obi-wan bright blue blade deflected blast after blast, while he cut down two clones. He spun on his heels, cleaved weapons in two and force pushed one clone into a pile of cargo bins. He continued to deflect blaster bolts and removed the arm of one clone and the leg of another. Obi-wan turned toward the main gate. Taking in the size of it, he summoned as much of the force as he could and directed it toward the gate, blasting open with a force push. Mounting a speeder, he looked over his shoulder once more at the clones in his wake and took off.

As the fortress began to shrink into the distance, he heard a large explosion. He briefly looked over his shoulder to see a ship on fire and smoking. It had not yet cleared the fortress towers and had begun its short descent back to the surface…so ended Hoyt's attempt to escape. Never did he think he'd be end up being the distraction that would help Obi-wan escape.

Obi-wan removed his comlink and opened a channel to his ship.

"R4 is the ship still secure?"

The droid answered with an affirmative whistle. That was the limit of Obi-wan's grasp of droid translation.

"Ready the ship for takeoff. I will be there momentarily. Begin scanning the area for activity. If any clones appear before I get there, inform me."

Another affirmative whistle and the channel was closed.


	22. Twenty two

Leaving Raxus Prime's atmosphere seemed to take longer than it did to enter it. Narrowly avoiding the republic cruiser's radar took more finesse than he knew he had…thanks to the exposure to Anakin's style of flying. He had been flying through the expanse for more than an hour and it was only a matter of time before he'd run out of fuel and power. If he was going to make he'd need some help.

The moment escaped the reach of the republic cruiser, he continuously attempted to make contact with other Jedi, he knew were stationed within range. It only made it painfully clear that the doom of the Jedi had finally arrived. It was a tidal wave that could not be resisted. There was no telling how many lives were cut down in the hours that passed since it began. But with each failed attempt at contact, he began to feel the tendrils of loneliness wrap around his chest and squeeze. He was not afraid for himself, but worried about the future of the Jedi Order…or what was left it.

Obi-wan lowered his head into hand and sighed. There were at least a hundred thousand knights loyal to the republic fighting on the front lines side by side with their clone troopers, leading them in the fight against Separatists. And now it seemed they've come undone.

Obi-wan raised his head and rubbed his beard, pensive and determined. He had to keep trying. There had to be someone out there still alive, unaware or in need of help. There must be someone for him to reach out to. He started to consider his options in case another failed attempt. He'd have to find a safe port to refuel, gather as much information on the state of the republic and the Order as possible, and get back to Coruscant if at all possible.

He entered in the communication access code once again. "Emergency Code 913... I have no contact on any frequency. Are there any Jedi out there?"

The response was static as usual. Obi-wan couldn't help the despair that started to wash over him. But it would be brief. The static started to break up as he started to see the holographic image of man struggling to come into view.

"Mas..Ke..obi?"

"There's interference. Recalibrating the frequency. Standby." Obi-wan directed his attention to his mechdroid. "R4 boost the signal."

A whistle to the affirmative signaled compliance.

Immediately the transmission cleared up. "Repeat."

"Master Kenobi, is that you?" It was a friendly face. Bail Organa's eyes narrowed, apparently have difficulties seeing the Jedi.

Hope is restored. Obi-wan's resolve strengthened. "Senator Organa, I need assistance, my clone troopers have turned on me."

"It appears this has happened everywhere. We're not far from your location. We're sending you our coordinates now."

"Standing by."

* * *

In the moments it took to get to his destination, Anakin's mind stretched in all directions to arrive at possible explanations for the implications of the traceroute results. He passed through the main lobby of the building and moved quickly to the apartment suite. Hurrying through the halls, Anakin didn't care how he would appear to other tenants passing him by or coming out of their apartments.

Arriving at the door, he rang the doorbell impatiently. "Are you there? It's me, Anakin!"

It seemed like a life time before he heard a response and it only added to his anticipation. This time he banged on the door. "Dorme?"

"Anakin?" Her alarmed voice sounded as a lock was released and the door slid open. "Wh-What's going on? Is it the kids?"

"No, Dorme." Anakin stepped in around her and the door closed behind. He turned to face her and paused realizing that she was in a bathrobe and her hair was in a long braid draped over her shoulder. "I'm sorry for showing up like this, but I need to talk to you."

Dorme eyes conveyed as much as concern as always since Padme's death. She nodded and said, "Certainly." She extended her arm, ushering him toward the sitting area. "Can I get you anything?"

"No. Thank you, Dorme."

Her gaze lingered on him. "Anakin, you're upset." She placed a hand on his arm, prompting him to turn and face her. "What's troubling you?"

"You said that Padme told you about her plans to leave for Kashyyk only days before she died."

Her eyebrows drew together. It seemed like it took longer than usual for his statement to register. Her lips parted slightly and she nodded. "I-I did." She turned and took several steps away.

Assuming her reaction is because he caught her off guard, with two steps, Anakin closed the distance between them. Her explanation was not sufficient to placate him. "Dorme, is there anything that went on during that time that you haven't mentioned?"

Dorme's form grew rigid at the question. "Anakin," Her voice carried a nervous undertone. "What is this all about?"

"Just answer the question, Dorme, please."

With an uncomfortable chuckle, she said, "We discussed this when I first arrived in Coruscant. Besides, I don't think now is a good-."

"I have to be sure of this, Dorme. I have to hear it from you." Anakin realized he may be tipping his hand by showing how desperate he was for her to make sense of the traceroute results. But he didn't care. He knew she couldn't be involved.

She turned around to face him. "Why are you asking me this? What's happened that makes you question what I've said." Her voice cracked as she spoke.

"I got a hold of Maeto Spek, the manager of the freight company. He said that a woman contacted him and offered him 70,000 credits to turn a blind eye to the assassination plot and lie to the CSF." Anakin paused watching her intently. "I put a traceroute on all incoming transmissions to Spek's communicator during the time he said he was contacted. The results came back…" He paused realizing how rigid Dorme had become. It was if she had suddenly turned to glass, threatening to crack. "…it indicates the transmission came from here."

Dorme made no sound. She looked as if she were having an out of body experience. It give Anakin's hope any credence. It only assured him that she knew something; that she wasn't entirely truthful. His heart sunk a little. "Dorme, I need you to focus. Think. Did anyone else have access to this apartment?"

Her eyes rolled to the wall behind Anakin; the floor; the tufts of carpet beneath her feet; anywhere but Anakin. She turned away and folded her arms. Biting her thumbnail, she shook her head and said, "No."

His eyes narrowed. "You're lying." There was no animosity in his tone, but rather surprise. He could sense her fear permeating the space between and around them. What caught him by surprise was that the fear was mixed with shame and guilt… insurmountable guilt. Gently grabbing her upper arm and turning her to face him, Anakin forced her to look him in the eyes. Tears welled in her deep brown eyes and she had grown pale. Holding her by the upper arms, he softened his voice. "Dorme, whatever it is, you can tell me. I can sense you're afraid. You don't have to be. It's alright." She looked away, hoping to find some reprieve to. He placed a curled finger under her now trembling chin and forced her to meet his pleading eyes. "Look at me."

The glass façade cracked. Dorme opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She turned away from him as a tear fell, "I-I can't."

She took several steps away, wrapping her arms about herself. Anakin could see her shoulder shaking as she struggled to stifle her sobs, biting down on her fists to re-gain control.

"Whatever you think will happen, you know I'll protect you. Talk to me, Dorme. Just tell me what happened."

It took several moments for Dorme to compose herself enough to speak. She cleared her voice and sniffed.

"Sit down, Anakin." She spoke without turning to face him. Her voice shook as she continued, "you of all people deserve to know. And it's time that I stopped hiding."

Furling his brow, he slowly walked over to the sofa across from Dorme and sat down. Something told him, he wasn't going to like where this was going. Instead of coming up with presumptions of what she could say, he deferred to her explanation.

Dorme turned around to face him. Instantly she appeared as if she aged 10 years. Her eyes were red and swelling from the tears falling down her cheeks. She struggled to compose herself as she started to explain.

"My brother-in-law died leaving my sister alone to raise their son. Weeks after the funeral, she discovered she was going to be audited by the Galactic Revenue Service because they found discrepancies in the accounting. She couldn't fix this mess on her own since her husband was the one who dealt with their finances. They said she owed 46, 000 credits in back taxes. If she didn't pay it, she would've been thrown in jail and her son taken away. I don't know why it happened so suddenly and frankly, we were all surprised that this happened at all."

Anakin watched her intently. Through the force he could feel her shame and guilt double. He could sense he was about to receive a blow, but somehow he couldn't protect himself from it. He didn't know how it would come to him or how severely it would affect him. All he could do was brace himself.

"About a week after she told us what happened, I came home one day and found someone here waiting for me. It was a man and he knew everything that was going on with her." Another onslaught of tears began to flow and she started to tremble. "I don't know how he knew. He just did."

With one arm balanced on left knee and the other tightly gripping the sofa cushion next to him, he offered her no comfort or words to ease her confession. He simply watched her with a wary gaze and a frown, waiting to hear if his worse fears were confirmed.

Her next words delivered the blow that would have knocked him off his feet if he weren't already seated.

Sobbing, she confessed. "He said he had the power to fix everything than it was before. He said he could make it all go away, but only if I helped him first." Barely able to form the words with her trembling lips, she cried out, "Anakin, I'm so sorry." She buried her head in her hands and wept.

Before she finished, Anakin was glaring at her in disgust, grimacing as the betrayer was revealed. His brow as furled and his breath went shallow, passing rapidly through his nose. It was like being struck in the gut without warning. His eyes became like ice, filled with pain, disappointment and an anger that threatened to consume him.

"You didn't." He slowly shook his head with growing disgust and grounding out through clenched teeth, "Tell me you didn't do this." His voice cracked.

"He said he had very powerful friends. That he could take care of this in a day. All he wanted was Padme's itinerary and for me to make a phone call for him."

Anakin's right eye twitched. He stood up and walked around the sofa, with one hand on his waist and the other running through his tawny locks. There it was Dorme…she was the woman who contacted Maeto Spek.

"He gave me a communicator and a document with instructions to read off. He stood over me while I did it and said it had to be done perfectly, that I had to be convincing or else he wouldn't help my sister." Pacing back and forth, Anakin allowed a long moment of silence before he could speak to her. He needed to get a handle on the rage that was building up as he thought about all the things she did and said since the funeral.

Unable to stand it anymore, Dorme blurted out, "I had no choice, Anakin. I-"

Speaking in a calm voice that belied the emotions percolating within, he sounded as if he was talking to himself. "I wondered why it seemed like you were blaming yourself for what happened. It was as if you were asking for forgiveness. I couldn't imagine why you felt so guilty when there was nothing you've done to stop it. All those things you said…" He shook his head. In a pain filled voice, he exploded. "You lied to me!"

"No! It wasn't like that!"

"Then enlighten me, Dorme! From here it looks like you helped him kill her!"

"Please don't say that. I-I swear. I didn't know!"

"You didn't know? YOU DIDN'T KNOW? What did you think was going to happen?"

"He lied to me, Anakin." Dorme wiped the tears from her cheeks and explained, "He- he said that his client was a rival of the banking clan. He was aware that she was meeting with someone who had inside information about them and he needed to get his hands on it. He wanted to know when she was leaving so he could follow her and find out who she was meeting. He just wanted to help his client get the edge in the business."

Anakin slowly nodded in disgust, "And you gave her up." Closing his eyes, he lowered his head and exhaled. "What was the price?"

"What?"

"HOW MUCH DID HE PAY YOU!" Cold blue eyes locked on her in an instant.

His sudden frustrated and pain-filled outburst made her jump. "90,000 credits."

Anakin froze. This was his friend; one whom he trusted and considered a member of his family. He could barely process this. It was the second friend he'd lost this day and this betrayal was far worse than he could have ever imagined.

"She wasn't supposed to get hurt." Dorme groaned. "Don't you see? I had to help my family—"

"At the cost of mine!" He pointed a finger at himself, tears lingered at the base of his vision. "Don't make excuses, Dorme. He turned his back to her with his hands on his waist.

It was hard to accept, though it was now a blaring truth. His close friend was the cause of Padme's death. He couldn't understand why Dorme would perpetrate such a security breech. There was a part of him that wanted so much to strike her down; to squeeze the life out of her with his hands. He clenched his fist, opening and closing it. The muscles tensed under his skin and it seemed his blood ran hot with anger.

"Anakin," Dorme quickly moved around the sofa to stand in front of him. She reached out to touch his arm, but he backed away, slowly shaking his head in warning. She recoiled as if drawing away from a hot surface. "This wasn't supposed to happen. He deceived me!"

"And you deceived me!" He raised a finger, "don't you think for one moment that you are a victim here! You're not! You're in the same lot as the ones who planned this."

Dorme shook her head vehemently.

"I questioned you, Sabe, Typho…everyone! I cleared you of any involvement! How do you think it makes me feel to know you, my friend, deceived me?"

"Please, Anakin." Begging weakly, she slowly shook her head.

"You didn't warn her! You could've stopped her. If you said something to either of us, she would be..." Looking away, Anakin's voice faltered.

"No! I didn't think what I did would help them."

"And when did you realize your mistake?" He glared back at her.

"When I found out the freighter that collided with Padme's ship belonged to the same man I spoke to on the communicator. The instructions I gave him—it all added up."

"You knew all this time, that it wasn't an accident…That she was murdered—taken from us."

"I tried to tell you…At the temple, at your apartment…I swear I did. I-I just couldn't. I was too ashamed! How could I tell you that it was my fault? How could I look you in the eyes and tell you that-I'm the cause of this?"

"That's called being a coward, Dorme" Anakin said coolly. "You've been at Padme's side since her first term as queen! You were our friend! And you betrayed us all including the twins."

She widened her eyes, "I love Luke and Leia. Anakin, you know this."

"You love them?" Anakin narrowed his eyes and roughly grabbed her by the arms. "As you loved Padme?"

Dorme was hurt by Anakin's insinuation, but she didn't dare defend herself. She deserved this.

When she didn't reply, he released her with a shove. "She trusted you, Dorme. How could you do this?"

"I loved Padme. She was my best friend. I would never intentionally hurt her."

He pointed a gloved finger. "You are the one who wanted to look after us when she died. You asked me to let you stay on as Luke and Leia's caretaker. I let you tell them their mother was gone." Anakin looked to her in disgust; anger rolling about in his veins demanding to be released. "How could you do that knowing what you did?"

"Anakin, please understand…"

It was more than he could take. In a burst of rage that he could not contain, but only redirect, Anakin slammed a gloved fist into the wall, creating a round hole and several fracture lines emanating from it. The punch would have been meant for her if he didn't have better control. He immediately dislodged his fist and roared, "Don't you dare ask me that! You have no right to ask anything of me!"

Frightened, her eyes darted from the hole to Anakin's enraged expression.

Anakin took a step back and attempted to compose himself. A few moments of silence passed before he spoke again in a voice devoid of emotion. "Who is he?"

"Wh-?"

"The person who was waiting for you…Who was he?" His voice shook with rage.

"I don't know." Anakin narrowed his eyes and straightened his shoulders. Dorme quickly added, "I-I've never seen him before. I didn't get a good look at him. He wore a hood and—and the only thing I could see was that he had a gold tooth. He smiled at me when I agreed and I saw it—"

"Dorme-" Anakin started in warning.

"It's the truth. I swear it." Dorme wiped away fresh tears. Anakin turned and walked toward the door and she added, "I'm still your friend, Anakin. I know this is something you cannot forgive, but please know that not a day has gone by without me wishing I could take back what I did or take her place. I will live with this forever."

He stopped just before the doorway and without turning spoke with a voice filled with venous rage, "If I were the same man I was when I lost her…forever would have ended 5 minutes ago."

Dorme sobbed.

He turned his head slightly and added words of caution. "Don't let me see your face again or find out you were anywhere near Luke or Leia."

"Don't do this, Anakin…Please, I beg you." She pleaded as he walked out of the door and out of her life, "Anakin! I'M SORRY!"

* * *

Carrying a tray of beverages, a protocol droid entered the conference room of the Tantive IV, where Bail and Obi-wan were discussing the matters that brought them together. Both men were grieved by the travesty taking place around the galaxy as well as in the heart of it.

"Keets found a contact on Anzat to help him find the data." Bail explained to the exhausted Jedi master. "He went down and several hours later, he's transmitted the data and asked that I send a copy to his assistant on Coruscant." Bail shook his head, confounded by Keets actions. "Something happened down there. He wouldn't explain."

Obi-wan took a glass from the protocol "Who's his assistant?"

"A woman named Silver. He's said she will see that's it gets to Anakin." Bail shook his head, refusing a drink offered by the droid and continued, "The next thing I knew, he was ordering Captain Antilles to leave orbit and to get back to Coruscant. Our location was about to be compromised. He said wasn't going to make it back to the ship. We were preparing to turn back to Coruscant when we picked up your transmission."

"From what I see here…" Obi-wan started as he examined a copy of the data. "Palpatine was funding the separatist movement with tax money."

"The records indicate that Palpatine has been using tax payer funds to buy support in the senate. He had been manipulating both sides of the war. He's spent billions of taxpayer's money to create secret accounts for corporations affiliated with the IGBC, in exchange for support in the Senate. That's what Padme was about to discover. If she made it to Kasshyk and retrieved this data, she would have been able to stop this villain." Bail stood up and stepped around his chair.

"And there's more…" Obi-wan looked up from the datapad, meeting Bail's gaze. "The separatists, likely under the duress of Count Dooku, are constructing a monstrosity; an enormous battle station with enough firepower to destroy entire planets."

"No. That can't be. That-That's impossible." Bail shook his head, rejecting the claim. He furled his brow and started to pace. "We don't have the technology to repel that much power."

"And according to what I've seen here," Obi-wan gestured toward the datapad. "The chancellor is not only behind this war and the battlestation he's also behind Order 66, from which I've narrowly escaped."

"This makes no sense." Bail paced with his hands on his waist. "Why remove the Jedi? What's the purpose of this war?"

Obi-wan glanced down at the datapad and thought for a moment. "To manipulate the republic. He knew it was corrupted enough to destroy it from the inside. He only needed time and patience. Palpatine or the Sith has been planning this for a long time. He managed to use this war distract us all while he cultivated enough power so that no one could stop him. The Sith is deeply intertwined in this plot that's for sure."

"Then we've already lost the war before it even started."

"Please excuse the interruption, your highness." A young ensign appeared in the door way.

"Yes, Osti." Bail turned toward him.

"The chancellor has called an emergency senate meeting. It's being broadcast through the holonet."

"This should prove interesting." Bail looked at Obi-wan.

Obi-wan straightened. "To say the least…It would give us an idea of what's transpired."

Bail turned back to the ensign. "Patch it through. We'll watch from here."


	23. Twenty Three

Partially numb from the trauma of betrayal, it was hard to believe that things had changed so quickly. It was only a day ago that he was considering Palpatine's offer and knew him to be a trusted and loyal friend. Like Obi-wan, Dorme was like family. To be betrayed by someone so close was like having the ground crumble from beneath him or like having a severe blow to the gut. It left him wounded, insecure and angry. It was the anniversary of Padme's death and it proved to be a dark day that would revisit heartache and pain. Anakin hoped the day would end quickly and without further event, but that would be not so.

He entered his apartment and threw off his robe onto a nearby chair. Moving further into the apartment, he pinched the bridge of his nose in an effort to banish the fatigue already felt in his eyes. He glanced at the chrono on the wall and realized how much time had passed since he watched Mace and the other Jedi leave to take Dooku and Palpatine down. Part of him wanted to rush over to the chancellor's office, to find out if their campaign was successful. But it was Jedi business and he was no longer one of them. Though there were parts of him that wanted to reclaim the lost pieces of himself, guilt, self-loathing, and insecurity kept him from returning to the Order and from restoring himself.

He stopped at the top of the two steps leading to the sunken sitting area. His gaze settled on the silhouette of a woman. She was stood on the other side of the room, her arms were folded, silent as Threepio droned on about the whereabouts of his master.

He cleared his voice. "Threepio."

The golden droid turned his luminous orbs toward him and greeted him happily. "Master Anakin, welcome home. You have a visitor."

As she turned and started walking toward Anakin, Threepio continued, "Might I introduce you to—"

"Silver." Anakin finished as his gaze met hers. This time she was not forward or flattering, smiling or playful. She was not in character or in disguise. Silver was unsheathed. She was covered from neck to toe, wearing skintight black bodysuit, with a dark red utility belt sitting low on her waist. There was a blaster strapped to her thigh and a fire-whip attached at her hip. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she had goggles resting just above her crown. She wore thick black boots and black gloves.

With a cocked brow Anakin took a step closer, taking her in from head to toe. This wasn't the same Silver he met before. He sensed urgency in her and that she was greatly alarmed. It was clear that whatever alarmed her, she was ready for it.

"I'm sorry we are meeting like this, Anakin, but we haven't much time." She moved toward him. "I initially came to deliver the data Keets sent for you." Silver pointed to the data chip on the table nearby. "I thought we'd go through it quickly and take action tonight but…"

"Where's Keet's?"

She allowed a few seconds of silence before answering. "He didn't make it back to the ship…" Silver glanced away, quickly swallowing her grief. "But that's irrelevant now. Palpatine has struck hard and fast. It will spell the end for the Jedi Order and the republic if we don't act now."

"What's going on?"

She turned and activated the holonet. The journalist appeared at the anchor's desk with a correspondent discussing the reaction to the news. The crawl below re-iterated the major points of the speech. "Just moments ago he called an emergency senate meeting and broadcast it across the holonet. He says the Jedi have been thwarted in their attempt to overthrow him. They attacked him in his office. He says he barely survived. The government is being re-structured from a republic to an empire, with himself as emperor. It's the end of the freedom as we know it." She turned a bitter gaze to the holonet and the clip of Palpatine's speech. "All this time, he's been grabbing all the power while smiling at us. That bastard."

Anakin couldn't believe what he was hearing. The masters have failed and are likely dead. If five masters could not stop him, then the odds of stopping him didn't look good.

"It's all a lie." He looked at her across his shoulder. "He's a Sith lord."

"What?" Silver turned her head toward him and narrowed her eyes.

"He told me himself. He tried to use my fear of losing my children and the promise of bringing Padme back from the dead to turn me." He swallowed and continued, "But I refused. I informed the council and five of them went over there to stop him." Anakin bit out in anger, "They were not trying to overthrow him."

"Believe me, I know he's deceiving everyone." Silver spoke bitterly as she turned back to the screen to see Palpatine raising his arms to the applauding senators. "Whatever Keets, Padme, Bail or even the Jedi could have done to stop him, would have been a pointless effort if it fell short of killing him. The moment this war started, the Jedis' days were numbered."

Anakin turned to face her, drawing his eyebrows together. "What are you saying?"

"The Jedi have been declared traitors; enemies of the empire." Determined brown eyes turned toward him, "Anakin, his first act is to hunt down and destroy all Jedi."

In the breath of silence shared between them, they both realized that the clones would be used to turn against the Jedi; that they would be caught unawares and outnumbered. The clones, who have fought beside them would be forced to turn on the Jedi…to kill any on sight.

Panicked, Anakin bolted for the verandah with Silver close behind to see in the far distance against the dusky sky the Jedi Temple. A faint glow of orange was shown at its base of the temple with a thin stack of smoke rising from it.

"It's already begun!" Silver turned a harden gaze toward him. Revealing her abilities, she projected a thought into his mind.

_If you're going act, chosen one, the time is now. Palpatine must be stopped quickly and by any means necessary._

Taking notice that she was force sensitive, he turned his head toward her. There was certainly more to her than he'd previously thought. Silver cleverly invoked a name he long dismissed; making him realize that tonight could be the night that he'd meet his destiny…whether he was ready or not.

Anakin stretched out into the force, desperately seeking the life signatures of Luke and Leia, only to find waning faint tendrils. Instantly the guilt fell away. The self-loathing dispersed into empty particles. And forgiveness was found the moment the shackles of faithlessness and grief were broken. Paternal instinct overruled every inhabitation and insecurity.

Whether it was possible or not, Anakin needed to move past his transgressions and any blame laid at his feet. Losing Padme may have left him devastated and scarred, but he knew he wouldn't recover from losing his children. Finding strength in Padme's death was difficult for him, yet his children were able to find it. For his own sake and that of his children he needed to attain it as well. And that time had come.

Anakin's lips formed a thin line. He turned and extended his hand, summoning his saber hilt through the force. It quickly sailed through air and into his hand. The moment his fingers closed around it, he could feel a large piece of himself being reclaimed. In his eyes burned a conviction and intensity that nearly surpassed that of his former self in the days before Padme's death. He clipped the weapon to his belt and turned to Silver.

Speaking first, she raised her chin, "Anakin, the purge has begun. Palpatine has command of the clones. Against this onslaught," She started to shake her head, "there is no defense save one… the Jedi must escape and go into hiding. They will have to fight their way out."

Anakin nodded in agreement.

"But you…you've got to face him." She continued has he narrowed his eyes. "Palpatine must be killed. It's the only way to stem the loss of Jedi."

"Silver," he said tightly. "Five Jedi Masters could not stop him. What difference could I make?"

"You are the chosen one. You will succeed where they have failed."

"I don't have time for prophecies and interpretations." He said grimly as he glanced at the temple. "I'm going to the temple." He turned and started out of the apartment. Over his shoulder he said, "You'd better get off Coruscant. If Keets was discovered, it'll only be matter of time before they find you."

"What are you doing? Anakin, there are likely thousands of clones storming the temple as we speak! Looking back at the temple, realization instantly stifled her protest. She muttered to herself, "His children are at the temple."

Silver turned and hurried up behind him. "I'm coming with you. You're going to need my help."

* * *

Obi-wan slowly paced back and forth in the conference room as reeling from the broadcast. This is what Palpatine had planned. _But what was the ultimate prize? Was Palpatine a puppet? Was he a pawn the Sith would use to subjugate the republic? How would Sith present themselves in this?_

Bail sat at the table, numb from the announcement. He could only lower his gaze and shake his head.

Obi-wan stopped pacing as a thought occurred to him. It was something he'd never consider, but it made sense. He suddenly realized that what Count Dooku told him on Genosis several years ago, was true.

He turned and braced his hands on the back of one of the chairs. His mouth agape, he looked to Bail. "Palpatine is the Sith Lord we have been looking for."

Bail looked up with raised eyebrows, "What did you say?"

"It makes perfect sense. It explains how it always seemed General Grievous or Count Dooku were always a step or two ahead of us. It explains why he created this war and manipulated it to give himself so much power. He's not a pawn of the Sith as I had suspected. He _is_ a Sith."

"With him being the emperor now and having command of the clones, there is nothing anyone can do to stop him….not even the Jedi." Bail shook his head hopelessly.

The ship's silver plated protocol droid appeared at the door with R4 beside him. "Pardon the interruption, your majesty. This R4 unit claims to have received an urgent message for Master Kenobi."

Obi-wan nodded curtly to the doomed droid and a series of beeps and whistles sounded. His eyes travelled to the protocol droid expectantly for the translation. "He says there is a coded transmission for all Jedi to retreat to the temple. The war is over."

Bail and Obi-wan's eye met. Immediately the Jedi master renounced the validity of the message. "It's a ruse. The temple has been compromised."

"The temple? How can you be sure?"

"This attack on the Jedi is happening everywhere, including the temple. With the Jedi spread out so thin across the galaxy, attacking the temple while they are off guard would've been the best approach. We need to get to Coruscant as quickly as possible."

"Obi-wan, you aren't making sense. If the temple has been compromised, then its likely its overrun with clones. If you are seen, you will be killed on the spot."

"That's a chance I'll have to take. That signal is going to lure any stragglers in to a trap. It must be deactivated as soon as possible."

"Even though we are traveling at light speed, it will be at least an hour and a half before we arrive."

"Then our only chance is to contact Anakin. Let's hope he can dismantle the signal….if he survived the attack." Obi-wan moved toward the communication console.

"But the clones wouldn't see him as a target since he's resigned from the Order."

"Yes, but his children are still Jedi." Obi-wan answered entering in frequencies. "They have been staying at the temple during the course of the investigation."

"This is a catastrophe." Bail stood up and turned to the protocol droid, "Tell ensign Osti, I want him to monitor all available frequencies for distress messages from Jedi and warn them that the clones are attacking Jedi and the temple has been compromised."

"Yes sir." The protocol droid bowed at the neck and disappeared out of the door and down the hall.

Bail turned back to Obi-wan. "Do you think Anakin will have a chance?"

"I can't be certain of that. What I can be certain of, is that he'd would be in the temple fighting to get Luke and Leia and any others out."

* * *

The temple was cordoned off for several city blocks by the clones. The ancient facility show visible signs of damage. The statues abutting the main entrance were either toppled over or blow apart by an explosive and covered the stairs in rubble and debris. The roof was on fire and there were several holes blown through the walls of the temple with thick plumes of black smoke rising from it. Roar of the Coruscant citizens were deafening as they struggled to see the burning temple. Some were screaming for the death of the Jedi, some were yelling for the killing to stop, and others were appalled at the destruction. None dared to get any closer than the perimeter created by the clones.

Anakin piloted his speeder behind the perimeter, landing it on a platform just below the roof. There were four troopers guarding the entrance. He and Silver hopped out of the vehicle and started out, quickly walking toward them.

Silver cocked her head to the left and the right, to loosen up the joints and projected a thought to Anakin. _Do you have a plan to get them out?_

Focused on the guards before him, Anakin didn't spare her a glance. _Get in there, find them, and get out. Kill any troopers in the way._

Silver responded with a smile.

The four troopers took several steps toward them. One raised a hand to halt them. "There has been a Jedi rebellion. Access is restrict-"

Without breaking her stride, Silver had extended her hand and with a twist of her wrist, forced the troopers off the extension bridge. They fell over either sides, immediately leaving the entrance open for them to enter.

They stealthily passed through the access doorway and into the corridor leading to the main corridor. There were another two troopers standing guard with the backs facing them. Anakin took lead, igniting his saber and dispatching them easily.

Looking both ways along the corridor for signs of any more troopers, Anakin said, "We need to buy ourselves time to find Luke and Leia. If they are alerted to us, we will be quickly outnumbered. We'll have to take them down before they can report we're here."

Silver stepped out into the main corridor and immediately took in the size and length of the expanse. "This temple is huge, Anakin. Your children could be anywhere."

"We'll have to take the stairs. The elevators will give our location away. We'll have to go down two levels and move to the other side of the temple."

"What down there?"

"Their quarters."

Silver wasn't certain of his plan, but knew better than to argue and quickly followed him down the corridor to the staircase.

Anakin moved as fast and as quietly as he could. He desperately needed to keep his mind on the present. He couldn't afford to allow his mind to wander to the what ifs. He could still sense his children's presence but only vaguely and it continued to wane the closer he moved to their quarters. It was imperative that he not let anything stop him…too much was at stake.

Arriving on the desired level, Anakin opened the door and was immediately met with smoke. There were blaster scorch marks all over the walls. He and Silver stepped out in the main corridor and discovered there were bodies scattered about the floor. It appeared to be a group of padawans, cut down in the midst an escape attempt. The sight made Anakin's blood run cold and made it even harder to focus on the objective. Anger simmered in his veins and thoughts filled his mind of Palpatine and his deception. He seemed frozen unable to move from the sight as he attempted to hold back the storm beginning to stir within.

Silver looked up to Anakin and nudged his arm. "Anakin. Let's move."

He snapped out of it as the sound of blaster fire could be heard in the distance. His eyes widened at the thought that another group of children could be cut down. Immediately they bolted down a secondary corridor and turned down another. The closer he got to it the shots, the more he realized that it was near one of the several escape routes secretly located throughout the temple. Anakin and Silver turned another corner and saw a steady stream of blaster bolts passing back and forth. From their point of view, he couldn't see the clones or the Jedi.

As they near the assault, they stood flush against the wall to allow themselves enough of a view to see where the clones were. The sight was shocking. There was a band of Jedi made of eleven younglings, two padawans, and a knight pinned against the wall. From what he could tell, they were near one of the emergency exits but access control pad was damaged. While the younglings were huddled behind their only defense, the knight and the padawans did their best to fend off the attacks. One of the padawans suddenly cried out and fell as a blaster bolt slammed into his shoulder. It would only be a matter of time before the exhausted remaining padawan and the knight fell, leaving the younglings unprotected.

Anakin extended his gloved hand and enclosed them in a force bubble; a temporary protection while they recovered enough to move on. With the blue shaft extended from his saber hilt, Anakin stepped in the fray with Silver beside him. As Anakin deflected the bolts, Silver fired her blaster taking out a few of the troopers. Far in the distance there were was another group of clones quickly approaching to support the dwindling troopers.

Realizing this would easily be a stale mate and a waste of time, Anakin moved into the center of the clones. He spun on his heels slashed the arms off one clone, pivoted and kicked another to the floor. He moved quickly on to the remaining cluster and jumped into the air and kicked the helmets off of two. He landed and pivoted relieved them of their heads. Anakin used the force and tossed one clone into another. He started working on what was left of the group twisting and turning, slashing and cutting his way through them.

In the meantime, Silver moved on to the approaching band running toward them. She immediately force pushed the center of the group back to the rear of the corridor. She launched herself into the air and landed a kick squarely in the chest of one. Keeping her movements fluid, she crouched down and extended her leg, using a sweeping kick to knock down another. She stood up and spun, removing the helmet of one clone and using it to knock out another clone. Silver turned swinging helmet and knocked down beside her clone. She moved quickly and methodically through the band of clones to prevent them the opportunity to take aim. She removed her fire whip as three more clones approached. One of them attempted to radio for help, but before he could speak, Silver cracked her whip and lashed it around his wrist. The clone dropped the radio screaming as he did so. With the whip around his wrist, smoke started to rise from it as it burned into him. With an upward swinging motion, she used the ball of her elbow and broke the nose of the clone behind her, extended a leg and kicked another clone slamming him against the wall. She snapped the fire whip, releasing its hold and lashed it on the radio, destroying it. She turned her attention to its owner and extended her hand, forcing pushing him to the ends of the corridor.

She turned, replacing her hip, and the rescued group of Jedi. Anakin was already at work overriding the damaged access control pad. It didn't take much time before the display faintly appeared and he was able override the controls. The access door revealed itself, as it was camouflaged in the design of the wall, and slid open.

Anakin turned and looked at each member of the group, recognizing nearly all of them. Several of the younglings were part of Luke and Leia's learning clan, he swallowed hard realizing how close these younglings came to death and wondered desperately what befell his son and daughter. In his heart he prayed so hard that his fears would be unfounded. Anakin looked to Jedi Knight Boltan Jukos, who stood among them. "Is everyone alright?"

The knight assisted the wounded padawan to his feet and said, "Yes, Anakin. Thank you both."

"I'm looking for Luke and Leia." He turned his gaze to the rest of the group. "Have any of you seen them?"

A couple of the younglings whimpered and the padawans sadly glanced at each other. The deepening melancholy shared among them, only pronounced Anakin's trepidation. His heart beat a bit faster and his eyes worked across the faces of each Jedi.

One of the padawan sighed sadly and said, "They were with us, but our group was separated during the escape from the youngling quarters."

"Leia fell behind and Luke went back for her." A youngling offered.

Boltan explained, "There was a massive explosion in the main corridor as we were running. Only a handful of us made it out. We lost so many. Those of us that survived tried to go back for the others trapped on the other side of the blast but…" He paused and glanced down at the younglings around him. "There were clones storming the youngling quarters from that side. There's little hope they survived that assault."

Picturing the scene in his mind, Anakin felt like an empty frame weakly held together mild adhesive. The most precious thing he had left in the galaxy was brutally taken. His averted his eyes from the group before the desire to assign blame reared its head. Part of him started to consider the idea of placing the children in the temple at the start of the term. It was his idea. He thought the temple would be safest place. He thought they would be more protected there than at home. Anakin could feel the urge to empty his stomach creeping up his back, as his thought reeled back to the true cause of his pain. Palpatine. The thought he'd once called him friend and even looked up to him, made his blood boil. Anger began to roil as the barriers immediately went up to contain it.

"I am sorry, Anakin." Boltan offered.

Silver gently placed a hand on Anakin's shoulder

Anakin's knees nearly buckled underneath him. His heart threatened to tear in two as he partly gave away to despair. The pain of losing a wife and then his children would certainly push him into a place he could not (or would not) return. He closed his eyes against the weight of oncoming tears, forcing them back. He took a deep breath and stretched into force, desperately searching for them and didn't find the waning signatures he felt before. This time, he hadn't found them at all. But something inside wouldn't accept it. Was it denial? Was it hope? Or something deeper?

Anakin didn't believe that he passed through months of utter despair, grief and self-loathing just to avoid the darkside and lose his children. It wasn't fair and while fairness in the force wasn't guaranteed, Anakin was determined not to give into his pain or the anger begging to take control.

"You guys better go now. There isn't much time." Silver looked over her shoulder for signs of company.

"What about you two?"

Anakin answered grimly, "I'm staying to find my children."

Boltan's lips parted as if amazed. "Anakin, the explosion and the clones…" He paused and asked, "are you certain?"

Looking at him with a determined gaze, he shook his head, "they aren't dead."

Silver turned back to Boltan. "Go ahead, Master Jedi. We'll find them and make it out."

"Then may the force be with them and you both." Boltan nodded and ushered the others through the door.


	24. Twenty Four

"Silver, we have to move fast. They'll soon discover something is wrong when they realize these clones aren't receiving or sending transmissions." Anakin looked over his shoulder watching her disable the override and sealing the door.

Moving as quickly as possible, they followed the main corridor into the network of corridors to the other side of the temple. The closer they were to the youngling quarters more difficult it was to see. Fixtures that were suspended from the high vaulted ceilings collapsed to the floor creating obstacles for them to traverse. There were blast holes and scorch marks along the walls.

As they drew nearer to the blast site, they slowed their pace, taking note of the extent of damage. The severity of the explosion was palpable as the first sight that met their eyes were the bodies of knights, padawans and younglings strewn about. Those furthest away showed no signs of injury, while others closest were horrifically mutilated. Their vacant eyes were left staring into oblivion as their souls departed into the force. The sound of trickling water denoted damaged pipes from above. Entire walls were blasted apart as now part of the containing wall at the end of the hall had a massive hole exposing the horror within the temple to the world outside. The blast impacted the floor as now there was an equally massive hole there as well. Behind the hole and before the right corner turn of the hall was a pile of debris that had fallen completely blocking escape. Carpeted marble floor was soaked with water and blood. The corridor was cascaded in partial darkness as a few surviving wall fixtures flickered repeatedly. Judging by the destruction, it appeared as if a twin explosive was used.

Silver covered her mouth with a hand as she laid eyes on the site and immediately knelt on one knee saying a prayer in her native tongue.

With eyes welling with tears, Anakin took in the damage done and the lives lost. He reluctantly looked down at the bodies, recognizing many, including of those in Luke and Leia's learning clan. This was the group his children were with, yet there bodies were not among them. He still had hope, but seeing with his own eyes what befell their clanmates made it dwindle. He had spent years on the front lines of war and witnessed many atrocities. But none struck him as severely as this sight. None affected him as deeply. His children could have been among the dead here, and yet this was only one side of the blast. Fear began to creep into the crevices of his heart, stifling what remained of his hope. His feet rooted to the floor, Anakin shook as conflict churned within him. He found himself standing at the edge of oblivion, teetering on a prayer that his 5 year old twins somehow survived a no way out situation. He closed his eyes to quell the storm and found serenity in a familiar comforting voice.

_Don't give up, Ani. They're alive. There's still time to save them. _

It was just what he needed to spur his determination. There was every indication of death but he could not accept it. He would not accept it. He was afraid of seeing irrefutable proof that they were killed, but needed it nonetheless. He opened his eyes and to his right he saw what looked like a lightsaber burn through the interior. He turned and placed his hands on the wall, knocking it and feeling it to determine the thickness. The lightsaber scorch mark was made in a circular shape, and was nearly finished. It was clear that the owner of the saber desperately wanted a way out and was cut down during the attempt. He looked over his shoulder at Silver.

"We'll need to go around." He ignited his saber and pierced the interior wall.

"What are you doing?" Silver said stepping over a body.

"Improvising." Anakin slowly moved the blade continuing the unfinished opening. He extinguished the weapon and extended his hand, using the force to move the sectioned piece aside. They both gingerly stepped through into a room littered with bodies of young Jedi. Padawans and a few younglings that didn't have a chance, had found themselves in a hopeless position. There were several dead clone troopers about the doorway and in the room. These few Jedi were able to hold off the assault briefly, but it was bittersweet all the same. The one that attempted to cut out an escape route was found lying on the floor, shot in the back.

They both did a cursory check for Luke or Leia and for any survivors to find nothing. They exited the room to corridor, stepping over the dead clones to find more death and more destruction. There were more bodies littered about; clones as well as Jedi. These consisted of not only those killed in the blast but those killed by the clones that pursued them.

"Force be merciful." Silver muttered as her eyes passed from the bodies in the room to the bodies in the corridor. She spoke with a voice shaking with anger, "Palpatine will pay for this."

In the distance were the faint voices of clones speaking through transmitters. Their voices carried from the hole created by the blast and indicating they were one level below. Silver turned her head toward the sound and moved her gaze to Anakin. "The clones are coming back."

"For what?" He replied in annoyance.

Silver continued to listen and said, "They collecting the dead Jedi for the pyre."

Anakin made a face and turned his back. He wanted so much for that pyre to be for the clones instead of the Jedi killed. For so many years and for so many battles, he's led and fought side by side with these clones. It baffled him at how easy they could follow a command as horrific as this. It only stoked the simmering anger he was beginning to struggle with. He could feel the containing walls of his anger weakening the longer he remained in the temple, witnessing the horrors that befell the Jedi. He started along the corridor away from the blast zone. Time was running out. The twins had to be found whether they survived or not. As difficult and as debilitating as it would be, he would have to recover their bodies if and when they were found. He would refused to allow the clones to dispose of them and would risk his life to see to that.

With the fading hope that the children ran into one of the rooms to hide, they quickly ventured deeper into the youngling quarters, passing into the section for the younger learning clans. He could feel his heart tremble as he passed more children lying motionlessly on the floor. However a strange sight caught his eye. About the entrance of one room were several dead clone troopers.

As he slowed his approach, he realized he could sense waning signs of life. He stopped at the doorway, stepping over numerous clones and peered into the room. It was the laundry room, filled with wheeled carts of linen and clothes. Some of them were toppled over, revealing children. Others were simply riddled with blaster bolts. Anakin didn't venture to go near the blasted baskets. He already knew what he'd find. But what astounded him the most was the sheer body count of clones in this one particular room. It looked like this is where the last stand was for those trapped had taken place. By the looks of it, the fight was fierce.

As he stepped further into the room, a blaster bolt was fired at him. He twisted at the waist, allowing the bolt to pass him and impact the wall. He clipped the lightsaber hilt to his belt and raised his hands, palms out. "It's okay. I won't hurt you. I'm Anakin Skywalker."

A bloody shaking hand appeared from behind one of the toppled carts. A faint moan sounded, "Please…"

"Silver!" he called out over his shoulder as he moved the cart aside and knelt. Recognizing the wounded survivor, he was taken aback. Unable to mask his crestfallen visage, Anakin removed his robe and stuck it under her head and held her trembling hand.

Silver hurried into the room, quickly taking in its state. Her eyes focused to her right where Anakin was kneeling and said, "What is it, Anakin? You found them?"

"No. It's Dorme." He answered solemnly. Silver didn't know who this was and he didn't bother to explain.

She was sweating from shock and tears flowed unchecked along her soot covered cheeks. There was blood streaming from a wound near her right temple. Dorme was trembling clutching a blaster in one hand and tightly holding his in the other. He struggled to keep the tears from filling his eyes as he looked on. Looking into her brown eyes, eyes that reminded him of Padme, he could see she was relieved to see his face again…she could let her guard down.

"Dorme," Anakin asked as he realizing she had been shot twice, "why did you come here?"

Dorme struggled as she spoke, fighting to breathe through her pain. "I'm sorry, Anakin….I saw the broadcast… I had to get to them before the clones arrived…Thank the gods I did…" She started to sob, repeating the last sentence. She regained some composure and continued, "…They were everywhere…above…below… killing everyone—even children… I-I thought they were on our side."

Anakin shifted her tunic and realized she was shot in the stomach. It was a wound very few have survived from even with medical care. Her time was fast approaching and he could sense it. He passed a comforting hand over her head. "We've been betrayed by Palpatine, Dorme. He's ordered the clones to kill the Jedi."

Dorme's eyebrows drew together as she tried to make sense of it.

"Listen to me. I need to find the twins." He blinked several times, almost pleading as he clasped her hand in both of his. "Dorme, did Luke and Leia make it out?"

"We were trying to escape but…the explosion trapped us. All we could do was hide." She coughed as the breathing grew more difficult. "I… took Luke and Leia and as many… as I could gather… We… hid in here. I told them to hide in the vents and in the carts." Her gaze looked around the room to the riddled carts. Her eyebrows arched up as fresh tears poured. "I barricaded…the door and waited… for them to come… I tried… to…fight off… as many as I could…they—they shot me…Luke and Leia…" Turning her head slightly away, her chin trembled and she shut her eyes tight. Anakin waited with baited breath, hanging on her every word to discover the fate of his children. She turned head back to him, composing herself enough to continue, "Luke and Leia…came out of…their hiding spot…They tried…to stop them… but they couldn't…they were so little…I told them…to get away."

"What happened to them?" Anakin's voice broke as he desperately pleaded.

"I-I don't know..." She sobbed bitterly. "I could…hear them screaming….and I blacked out…I failed, Anakin."

Anakin swallowed hard realizing that his children saw what had happened to Dorme and despite their size attempted to the one person who was like their mother. He was proud of them and afraid for them at the same time.

"No, Dorme. You've redeemed yourself." He shook his head as he spoke.

"Save them." She whispered, squeezing his hand as the last dregs of her life force pulled away.

"You know I will, my friend." Anakin pressed the back of her hand to his cheek.

Her eyes locked on him, a smile slowly formed and faded as her eyes closed.

Anakin didn't move. He sighed deeply his shoulders dropping as he gazed upon Dorme's lifeless body. Any anger or hurt he felt toward her melted away the moment she saw her lying on the floor. Never in his wildest dreams did he suspect she'd be there, risking her life and giving it up to save his children. She meant enough to him that he found it in him to forgive her. She meant enough to the children that they came out of hiding, risking their lives to save her. Dorme was the constant in their lives during Padme's life and after her death. She may have been an unintended target, but she was still felled by Palpatine's order.

Though he was no closer to knowing if Luke or Leia were killed, he knew they were not among the dead in this room. Anakin slowly rose to his feet thinking about where his children could be.

"Anakin…" Silver's astounded voice broke the silence.

He looked over his shoulder at her and found her looking toward the far side of the room.

"Someone's still here." She moved toward the back stepping over clones and moving carts out of the way until the wall was fully in view. She looked to the base of the wall to the vent and discovered the covering was ajar.

"Please come out, little ones. I am a friend to the Jedi."

The covering slowly opened and five younglings ranging from ages 2 to 5, climbed out. Each of them were covered in soot and clearly frightened and traumatized.

Silver stepped closer to them and knelt. Through the force she conveyed as much confidence and security as she could to comfort them. It served as a beacon of hope knowing that there were more survivors despite the efforts of Palpatine's forces.

The oldest child moved closer and said, "The clones took Luke and Leia."

Anakin moved toward them, "Do you know where, young one?"

Child shook her head slowly.

Anakin lowered his head, and took several deep breaths to clear his mind. Not knowing was eating away at him as badly as fearing their death. It took everything he had to not fall in the pit of emotions roiling within. He was desperate and struggled to contain it. He turned his back to the children and allowed himself a moment to concentrate. The longer he contemplated the more pronounced the answer became.

_They are the future, your legacy..._

Palpatine's words came back to him like the ripples in a pond. It was suddenly clear to him what happened. Since the emperor failed to turn him to the darkside, he would focus on turning his children who shared the same power and potential as their father. The vision of them being corrupted by the darkside was still in play. Anakin's blood started to run hot through his veins.

Silver pushed to her feet and said, "Anakin, we've got to leave before the clones get here."

Ignoring her statement, he turned to her. "Palpatine has my children."

She straightened, considering his words and slowly nodded her head. "If that's true, then you now have no other choice. You must face him and succeed where the masters have failed."

Anakin nodded in agreement just as his comlink crackled. Taking it from his belt, he immediately lowered the volume so the sound would not alert the clones.

"Anakin?" A voice came through with little interference. "Anakin, are you there?"

Happy to realize his former master survived the attack, Anakin answered, "Obi-wan?"

"Where are you?"

"At the temple. Palpatine has ordered the clones to attack. He's is a Sith…he's behind everything, this war…Padme."

"I know and there's little else we can do now. You must listen to me carefully. There is a coded retreat message being sent out to all Jedi across the galaxy. It's saying that the war is over and to return the temple. You must deactivate the signal."

"Where are you?"

"I'm aboard Senator Organa's ship on my way to Coruscant."

"I'll take care of the signal and then I'm going to face Palpatine." Anakin said glancing at Silver.

Obi-wan's tone changed immediately, growing more alarmed. "What? No, Anakin. He's too powerful. The only way the Order is going to survive is if we go into hiding. Then we can regroup and come up with a plan."

"There's no time for that. This can't wait." Anakin placed a hand on his waist as he explained, "Keet's associate Silver is here with me. We've found several survivors, mostly younglings and padawans. She's going to need help getting them to safety." He locked eyes with Silver.

"Then I will get to Silver as soon as I can, Anakin."

Holding her gaze, Anakin continued, speaking to her as well. "You can contact her for a secure location on this frequency. She'll have my comlink."

Obi-wan resumed his protest. "Anakin, facing Palpatine alone is suicide. Do not enga—"

Anakin turned his head again, his tone flattening. "Obi-wan…He has Luke and Leia…I have to get them back."

There was silence, as Obi-wan paused. "You do realize he's trying to lure you into a trap."

"Either I spring the trap, or lose my kids."

"Anakin, he will kill you and they will be lost anyway."

"Then I have no choice." Anakin lowered his gaze. "May the force be with you, old friend. Goodbye."

Ending the transmission, he handed the comlink to Silver. His eyes traveled to the younglings.

"Don't worry. I will get them and any others I find to a safe place." She opened a pocket in her utility belt and tossed him a small device. "Keep that with you. I will get us a transport. Activate this, and I will find you."

Anakin nodded.

"May the force be with you, Anakin."

"And with you, Silver."


	25. Twenty Five

Anakin planted his feet firmly on the elevator floor, waiting and watching the numbers climb as the metal capsule ascended to the Chancellor's suite. An attempt to brace himself against what awaited him in the Chancellor's office was deferred in preparation for what defenses awaited him on the other side of the elevator doors.

His most primal instinct, rage and fear were incurred by the threat of harm to his children. He could not sense their presence, though he knew in his heart, their last whereabouts led them to Chance—Emperor Palpatine. He closed his eyes briefly to quell the roiling emotions vigorously pounding on his senses, but it would be a short lived attempt as the elevator sounded its arrival to the Emperor's suite. Anakin knew there was be a small garrison of clones waiting in the security air lock. It was the standard security check point for any visitor privileged enough to use the V.I.P elevator to access the Chancellor's suite. He wasn't surprised that his access code was not revoked, it only confirmed Obi-wan's belief of it being a trap.

Immediately Anakin threw his back against the control panel and waited for the doors to open. His mind never far from the well being of his children and resting them from the clutches of the Sith, he took a deep breath and waited for the clones to make a fatal mistake.

The doors slowly pulled apart and the subsequent silence was almost deafening. Anakin waited silently for the clones to enter with the hilt of his saber tightly gripped in his hand.

"Where is he?" One clone whispered.

"He knows we'd be here to stop him. Prepare yourself. He's probably against the control panels." Another clone shouted, "Havoc! Buckshot! You two draw him out. We will cover you."

Anakin waited until the nozzle of the first blaster rifle passed into the elevator before chopping in half. He angled the shaft of the lightsaber diagonally from left to right, blocking and deflecting the blaster bolts aimed at him. One of the bolts hit a clone directly between the eyes, while he sliced through the first two, and literally disarmed another. Passing through the security air lock, he looked over his shoulder as he walked and made certain there were no others left to take care of.

Rounding the corner and entering the reception area, Anakin was immediately facing more clones. As their guns were raised to take aim and fire, he deflected the blasts and slashed two across the chest and stomach. He immediately drew on the force and tossed one against the wall, knocking him out.

He continued through the area, approaching receptionist's vacated desk. Beyond it was the access doors to Palpatine's office, flanked by the imperial royal guard. The emperor's red garbed guardians didn't hesitate. As Anakin rounded the desk, they lowered their staffs to intersect each over door, barring his access.

Shifting his gaze from the guard on the left to the guard on the right, Anakin struck hard and fast creating a swirling blur of blue as he swung his blade. Anakin moved methodically as both engaged him. He blocked their attempts to neutralize him with the force pikes. The guards moved surprisingly quick as Anakin never had an opportunity to see them in action. Their movements often mirrored each other as the disagreement moved away from the doors and towards the center of the room. Attempting to disable the weapon proved futile as they were powerful enough to withstand a blow from his saber. He twirled his weapon moving faster and gradually increasing his speed, until one of the guards exposed a fatal flaw..the inability to remain fluid.

Anakin ducked a swipe of the force pike, balanced his weight on one hand and kicked one guard to the floor. Raising to his feet, fainted to the left and pivoted to the right, spun the blue shaft around his back and sliced one guard across the midsection and removed the hand of the guard.

With one guard behind him lying on the floor, Anakin raised his gaze to the other clutching his wrist. Warning flashed his blue eyes. He would not be stopped by anyone. The adrenaline coursing through his veins lit his body on fire. It was a fire he hadn't felt in a long time and it strangely felt like coming home. His eyes shifted from the guard to the door and back and another step toward him.

The guard was trained to never falter even in the sight of defeat. He immediately withdrew from the folds of his robe a vibrosword and began swinging and slashing. Anakin ducked and dodge with as much agility. He parried the weapon out of the guard's hand and slashed him across the chest; thus ended the final layer defense against him. Sensing the presence of Count Dooku, he raised his gaze toward the doors. Anakin shut off his weapon and walked towards the doors.

There were no more guards or clones buffering the confrontation between him and those keeping his children captive. He could feel the presence of the darkside beyond those doors, that both the Sith…the master and the apprentice were there…waiting for him. In the well of his heart he felt his children would survive the encounter…still it was indicative of an impossible situation...two against one with lives to save? He had to do this…and he had to succeed. With every step taken toward the office, his heart pounded a little louder in his chest.

_Fear_

Not for himself, but for what he might find on the other side of the doors. What fresh horror awaited him? Would he see his children? Are they in pain?...Are they alive?

The questions swirled unchecked fueling a fear that was only amplified by the knowledge that even at the doors of the Emperor's office, he still could not sense Luke or Leia. He paused beside the receptionist's desk and swallowed. He could not let his fear get the better of him, no matter what he'd see. He closed his eyes briefly and begged the force that his children would survive this ordeal. Anakin could not and would not allow another loved one to die by under the eyes of the Sith. All the suspicions Padme had about Palpatine were true. Above all other revelations he discovered about his one time friend, it hurt him the most to realize Padme's last words to him rang truest as he stood before the door.

_The day will come when you will see for yourself what kind of man Palpatine is. You will learn what he has been doing and it will cause you so much pain to know that you didn't listen to me; that you had your children around him; that you defended him passionately and deeply hurt me in the process…_

His loyalty blinded him. That he could follow someone so corrupted and evil, that he could trust someone so twisted only the percolating rage. Everything Padme had said came to pass and all he could feel was regret and the solemn vow that the children would survive this catastrophe no matter the cost.

Anakin passed through the doors and was met with an unusual breeze. The modest décor of the office gave way to what was the scene of a fight. There were toppled statues and broken glass littered about the floor. There were three short sets of steps to the left, the right and further inwards in the center of the room. All led to the platform where Palpatine's desk sat before the shattered panoramic transparasteel window. The glass shards were scattered about of the carpeted floor. With each step he took into the office, he could feel the fragments under his boot as he scanned the expanse.

To the left side of the shattered window was a tall dark figure, still and stoic. Count Dooku's back faced Anakin's approach while his gaze remained focused on the view of Coruscant.

Though Anakin was aware of his presence, Palpatine was nowhere in sight. Opting to climb the center steps, he maneuvered around the fallen statues and stopped as the smooth baritone rose from the Sith lord before him.

"My master gave you too much credit, Skywalker. He expected you here much sooner." Dooku spoke evenly without shifting his gaze away from the skyline.

Anakin didn't respond and only squeezed the hilt of the saber, as he continued his slow ascent up the steps towards Palpatine's desk. His eyes scanned the surface of the desk and the surrounding platform as he reached the top. Desk was clear of any data save for the conversational pieces he'd store including the Sith relic. Seeing it again after so much had happened only drove home Palpatine's sentiment for such an item. Before taking another step, Anakin froze.

A sight caught his eye that made his heart shiver. On the floor just behind Palpatine's desk protruded the still legs of a small child. Anakin could tell by the child's boots that it was his daughter. Every muscle in his body ached as his breathes drew shallow. He moved to see her full form lying on her side as if she was merely asleep. Anakin didn't see the natural rise and fall of a sleeping body and grew more alarmed as he looked on. He could feel himself losing his grip on his emotions. Try as he might he knew that it would be very possible for him to completely lose control.

"Do not fear. She has been cast into a deep sleep. She's proved to be much more spirited than her brother."

It was clear that Dooku was responsible for shielding his children's force signatures. His eyes flashed up at the dark lord with a deadly gaze, as venom coursed hotly through his veins. Speaking through clenched teeth, he asked, "Where is my son?"

Dooku shifted, turning his silvery gray head toward him. "I've found a better use for your boy, Skywalker." His eyes flashed in malicious delight. "He will bear witness to your failure."

The Count shot a pointed gaze toward a tight space behind Anakin's right. Beneath the over turned couch and the statue toppled over it was little Luke Skywalker, trapped in a space that he could barely crawl out of. It was then that the vale had retracted in the force and the children's signatures were revealed. Anakin looked over his shoulder to see a small hand push out from a small gap between the floor and the armrest of the couch. Luke waved his hand seeking contact. His voice cracked as he called out, "Daddy?"

"I'm here, son." Anakin sensed Luke's immense fear and responded with equally calming reassurance and confidence. He could sense Leia as well, and confirmed that she was truly in a deep sleep.

Instinct threatened to take hold at that moment. The rage that he struggled to control began to coalesce with the hate in the pit of his stomach. His muscles tensed and his hands trembled beneath his failing restraint. Anakin turned his attention back to the Count and ignited his weapon. He held his enemy in a hard gaze as the two of them started to circle each other, crossing one foot over the other.

Glancing down at Leia's unconscious form, Anakin slowly shook his head. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, Count. But, I will never join the Sith." His voice trembled with murderous venom.

"My dear boy, you flatter yourself." The Sith lord started with a chuckle. "You're no longer the target. You're nothing more than a simple teaching tool." Dooku retrieved his lightsaber hilt from his belt and ignited it, extending his arm from his side. "He'll learn the foolish ways of the Jedi have only garnered them extinction and that you were too weak to stop it…just as you were too weak to save his mother."

There was no thought needed. The levee restraining the tidal of his emotions fell away, as Anakin lunged at the Count. Their weapons flashed and erupted every time contact was made. Anakin worked his blade as he blocked and parried Dooku's blade. Dooku movements were fluid and matched Anakin's every attempt to subdue him. And it seemed the Sith lord was enjoying the encounter.

Dooku smirked and worked his blade faster and harder, forcing Anakin back. He finished with a back handed punch, forcing the younger man to stumble backwards. "Is that all you can muster? You'll have to do better!" Dooku twirled his blade.

Anakin lunged again. Dooku quickly spun around and blocked the attack. Red and blue repeatedly clashed and swirled left and right. As Anakin fought, he began to pick up his momentum. Imbuing his technique with as much determination and skill, he discovered he had to be conscious of his emotions to keep them from driving his movement.

With the increased speed and intensified combat, Dooku was beginning to find difficulty keeping up with his younger opponent.

Anakin twirled his lightsaber around his back and blocked another down stroke of Dooku's blade. Their blades crisscrossed and in that moment, their eyes locked.

"You don't really think you can win, do you?"

"That depends on how you define winning."

Dooku glanced over Anakin's shoulder at Leia's body. "It's a pointless effort, Skywalker. Their fate is sealed. After your death, your offspring will become acolytes of the Sith."

"Then I'll have to make killing me that much harder."

"You can try." Dooku said with a smile tinge with malice.

Anakin pushed hard against Dooku's weapon, causing him to take a few steps back. He raised his blade over his head and brought it down. The energy in the room seemed to heighten as another presence emerged into view.

Sidious appeared from the anteroom and stood at the far end of the platform. With only his hands visible, the Sith Master was fully covered in a dark cloak. The lower portions of his face were barely visible, and the smile that slowly spread across his face was unmistakable. Palpatine was watching the duel with great interest as if it were sport.

Dooku dodged, narrowly missed the side of Anakin's blade and kicked him to the floor. Anakin jumped up and blocked another attack. Using the force, Dooku began hurling friezes and sculptures from the walls toward Anakin. It was typical of a Sith duel and expected. Anakin dodged, ducked and deflected the objects as they flew toward him. Dooku hoisted the overturned couch that confined Luke toward Anakin. Anakin waved the couch off in another direction.

Dooku squared his shoulders and extended his hand towards Leia's body as blue white bolts of force lightening radiated from his fingertips. Anakin reacted and enclosed her in a force bubble. The bolts bounced off her and impacted the wall leaving singe marks.

Dooku used the distraction to hurl several large shards of glass towards him. Anakin moved his blade to disintegrate them, but failed to stop them all. One pierced his shoulder and other his thigh.

Anakin yelped as he stumbled back. He panted heavily at the injuries seemed to take his breath away. Never taking his eyes off his opponent, Anakin removed the shards and cast them aside.  
Fresh blood issued from his wounds. Doubt began to creep into the dark places of his heart as he considered the possibility that he might not survive the fight…and that his children might not escape the Sith. The only way they could defeat him is to use his children against him and the only way to stop them was to take away that threat. He tapped the homing beacon Silver had given him, activating it.

Anakin moved toward the dark lord to engage him once again. Dooku parried Anakin's strike and punched him. Anakin stumbled back against the wall. The bitter taste of blood began to overwhelm and he spat it out.

"Surely you must realize your doom." Dooku moved closer.

The duel grew more intense and Dooku drew on his anger. Drawing on the force to ease his pain, Anakin pushed off the wall and struck, pouring as much ferocity as he could into his method. Something seemed to take over inside of Anakin. It was like a new strength had assumed control and he could no longer feel any pain. It was the will and the determination to see his children free from the threat of the Sith. He refused to allow them to destroy what remained his family.

The tidal began to change as the energy shifted. Dooku was now being driven back to the other side of the room. The Count extended his hand, blasting bolts of force energy and was again absorbed by Anakin's blade. Anakin slammed his fist and elbow in to Dooku's face, forcing him to stumble. With an ice-cold glare, Anakin walked slowly toward him and continued the assault.

Whimpering sounds could be heard behind the duelists. Luke had managed to crawl away from the debris and reach the platform where his sister's conscious form lay. There he sat clutching her hand, begging her to wake up.

Palpatine slowly approached the children. There was a low malicious chuckle rising from under his hood, and Anakin could sense what was about to happen. He increased his speed and was now moving so fast Dooku could barely keep up. Anakin swung his fist, knocking to Dooku to the side. Without hesitation, Anakin spun on his heels and swung his blade, separating Dooku's head from his neck.

Behind Anakin's back, Count Dooku's body fell to the floor with a dull thud. As Palpatine was about to raise his hands toward the children, Anakin extended his and force pushed him away from his children.

Sidious immediately recovered and the hood slightly fell away from his face, revealing a deformed visage. With a snarl, he looked up at Anakin, "You can't save them both. Fortunately, I only need one."

With a slightest of gestures, Leia's flew from Luke's grasp and sailed out of the window to the depths below. Luke stretched out his hand, crying for her.

Anakin's heart plummeted to his stomach as he rushed over to the window, screaming. "NO!"

Clutching the side of the window frame for support, Anakin extended his hand and called on the force to retrieve his daughter. He was caught in a trap, Sidious had planned. Caught at the edge of the window 440 meters from the ground, Anakin was barely holding onto his daughter while his son desperately needed his help. It was as the Sith had wanted. There was no way he could save himself or either of his children. All Sidious had to do was nudge him out of the window, and he and Leia would fall, leaving Luke behind. But Anakin knew the dark lord didn't want to kill him so simply. He wanted Luke to see his father fail. It's what Sidious would have used to cultivate Luke's hatred.

A blinding pain pierced Anakin in the side, nearly causing him to drop Leia. He immediately found it difficult to take in a full breath. The pain was almost crippling and he would have fallen to his death if it were not for his determination…this strength that he somehow summoned. He looked down at his side and saw the hilt of the Sith dagger protruding from him, the entire blade was embedded.

Sidious spat out mockingly, "You are weak. You cannot save your daughter, nor can you save your son. And there is no hope of saving yourself."

Delirious with immense pain, Anakin thought it was funny. Every time he visited the Chancellor he always found himself looking at the relic. Never did he expect to see it in action, so up close and personal. It was the shock of being stabbed and the finality of his death. He was going to die tonight. But as he turned his gaze back to Leia, he realized he would not die in vain.

Silver and Obi-wan arrived in a speeder, positioning it so that Obi-wan could take Leia in his arms.

_I have her Anakin. Let go._

_Obi-wan, wait for Luke._

Anakin released his daughter and turned his gaze back to his son. Luke trembled as he sat clutching his knees to his chest. "Luke."

Luke slowly rose to his feet. His eyes, as blue as his father's, flooded with unspent tears and looked upon his father.

_Everything will be alright. I promise._

Anakin turned to Sidious and ignited his lightsaber, "You're right…" He shook his head, "I can't possibly… save myself…and them…"

"So…I'll just…save them." With a flick of his wrist, Anakin hurled Luke out of the window and down to Obi-wan and Silver.

A red blade appeared in Sidious's hand just as Anakin lunged and the duel commenced. Sidious worked his weapon ruthlessly as a weakened Anakin Skywalker struggled to maintain and stay coherent. The edges of his vision seemed to blur during the fight and several times he had to shake it away or blink it back. His life force was beginning to slip away and all Anakin could do was pray that he didn't die before Sidious.

The dark lord was relentless and confident in his strokes and toying with Anakin as he sensed the impending death. He stretched out his hand as force lightening issued from his finger tips. Hitting Anakin dead on, he was hurled across the room and slammed into the wall. Landing on his face, Anakin didn't move. He could feel his clothes were soaked with his blood. The taste of it nearly overpowered his senses. Yet he could almost smell the sweet air blowing across the meadows of Varykino.

He rose slowly, only managing to get to one knee. He raised his head and didn't see Sidious anymore…He sees the ice capped mountains the provided the backdrop at the Naberrie family estate. It was almost real and he nearly believed what he was seeing until Sidious spoke again.

A sneer distorted the already disfigured face. "What an appropriate position for the chosen one…to die on your knees, knowing that your children will stand at my side." He force pushed Anakin's lightsaber away and stepped closer. "I commanded your wife's death because she tried to stop the unstoppable. And now, young Skywalker, you will die because you attempted do to the same."

Another onslaught of force lightening slammed into Anakin's body willing him to yield, but he would not. Trembling, Anakin stretched out a hand and closed his eyes.

The lightening attack stopped immediately. Anakin looked up in time to see, Darth Sidious' eyes go wide as he looked down at his chest to see a blue lightsaber blade had pierced him clean through. Sidious slowly collapsed to his knees, meeting Anakin's gaze with a cold glare and fell to the floor…dead.

It was over…Finally over. Anakin leaned back and slumped against the wall, his long legs sprawled out before him. He reached down and slowly pulled the blade out from his side and held his hand over the wound. It made no difference as the blood seeped out between his fingers. There was no pain or fear. There was no more self-doubt or anger. There was simply peace. Peace began to take hold of him as he started to smell a familiar scent. One he's only envisioned smelling again. It was the scent of Padme's hair. He wasn't sure if he was daydreaming or straying into a vision, but it seemed the destroyed office before was partially melting away slowly revealing the balustrade of Varykino.

* * *

Obi-wan and Silver ran through the reception area maneuvering around the bodies of the royal guards and the clones. At the entrance of the Chancellor's office, Obi-wan stopped and scanned the room for Anakin. The room was more a battle zone than an office of an elected official. He couldn't help that his heart beat a bit faster or that his breathing grew shallower. Toward the rear of the room lay the body of Count Dooku and towards the his left was the body of the Emperor…Darth Sidious. But his eyes continued to search about the room for his brother and best friend.

"Obi-wan!" Silver pointed toward their left at a body slumped against the wall, the head, full of curly tawny locks, lowered. Her brown eyes widened in shock as she approached. Anakin appeared as a discarded rag doll...broken, worn, and stained.

Stepping over the body of Darth Sidious, they approached the fallen hero and knelt on either side of him.

Deciding not to move him, Obi-wan placed a hand on his arm and called gently, "Anakin?"

Anakin raised his head slowly and blinked to focus on his old master. His face was pale and covered in sweat. He raised a shaking hand and held Obi-wan's and panted as he spoke barely above a whisper, "Twins…are they…safe?"

Obi-wan nodded. "Bail has them. They're fine."

"Emp..ror…"

"He's dead." Obi-wan reassured him. "It's over. You've stopped the Sith."

Anakin eyes drifted towards an object on the opposite side of the room, as if something caught his attention. A smile slowly formed on his face revealing reddened teeth. His lips formed an inaudible word as the smile faded and he closed his eyes.

Silver pulled Anakin's hand away from the stab wound and gasped. "Obi-wan…"

Obi-wan immediately took note of the grave wound. He'd seen many like this and knew unusually didn't bode well for the victim. He noted the wounds on the shoulder and thigh and the blood drenched clothes. He realized if Anakin survived these wounds, the chance would be slim. "Stay with me, Anakin. A medical capsule is on its way."

Realizing Anakin was no longer responding, Silver placed a hand on Anakin's shoulder. "Anakin?"

"Anakin?" Obi-wan's voice broke with a tinge of apprehension as he gave him a slight shake.

* * *

_Varykino _

_ Everything was just as he remembered. The warm air heavily laden with the sweet smell of Nubian flowers caressed him. He stood on the balustrade and watched the sun set over the horizon. The sight would always put him at peace. Anakin didn't remember how he got there or even why he was there suddenly. It was the one place he wanted to be and now…he was there. He wondered if it were a dream? Or perhaps he'd fallen into a memory. Whatever answers, none of it mattered. He knew she was here. He could feel her presence. It was as warm and as soothing as coming home after year long tour of duty. Anakin looked over his shoulder and saw a sight he hadn't seen in months. _

_ Padme stood just outside the doors, watching him and smiling. There were tears of joy in her eyes. This wasn't like any of the visions he used to have of her. Something was very different. An element changed that he could not put his finger on. _

_ He turned and slowly walked toward her. She was beautiful. Her brown hair was pulled away from her face and cascading along her shoulders and back. She was wearing a gown that reminded him very much of what she wore his first time at the family retreat. _

_ Part of him still held a fear that she disappear the moment he made contact with her skin or that their time would limited to just a moment. With tears of hope blurring his vision, threatening to fall, Anakin remained still, waiting for the unspoken prayer to be answered. _

_ "Padme? Is it really you?" _

_ She nodded, "Yes." _

_ "How much time do we have?" _

_ She slowly raised her hand and cupped his cheek with a reassuring smile. "All the time we would ever need." _  
_ His heart swelled with a joy that he couldn't measure. The trepidation fell away as the tears fell unchecked along his cheeks. He wrapped his arms around his wife and buried his face in her hair. He realized it was truly over…They were reunited._

* * *

"I-I think…" Silver placed two fingers on the carotid artery in Anakin's neck and grimly looked to Obi-wan. "He's gone."

Realizing Anakin's force signature was gone, Obi-wan slumped his shoulders as tears began to issue from the normally stoic Jedi. The last time he'd felt such grief was at the loss his own master and later a friend. He took several moments to compose himself and said, "He's at peace now, Silver…He's with her at last."


	26. Twenty Six

_The house was empty again. The gondolas carrying their children sailed out of sight to begin their 30 minute journey along the Muid river. Being the only method of travel on or off the estate, it wouldn't be long before they reached the port where their speeders are docked to take them to their ships. The annual Skywalker family gathering was over, and yetthe air was still charged with youthful energy,familial joy and love. It drastically contradicted the emptiness and the quiet that awaited the eldest members of the family._

_On the balustrade, Anakin stood watching his children disappear along the Muid and took in a deep breath, releasing it as his eyes traveled to the stars above. Though his morning workouts and meditation kept him sharp and fit, he could still feel the toll of the years in his bones. The gray chased away the blonde in his wavy locks and patience and wisdom replaced youthful impulsiveness. A smile slowly broke across his face as he thought about the moments he spent with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He enjoyed the look of surprise ontheir faces during one of the day's events, when they realized the old man still had it where it counted._

_As he looked upon the heavens above, he realizedthat though tonight appeared to be the same as any other night, for some reason it felt different. Something seemed out of place. For so many nightsall these many years, he'd stare into the night sky wondering how he could be so blessed. He couldn't make sense of it and never really put much effort intotrying. He accepted the assumption of this life being the afterlife…that he and Padme would be together forever, experiencing life the way they were meant to if they had lived. He knew his children were not truly a part of this life. Luke and Leia were still alive and well in the world of the living. The familythat he'd spent years raising and loving were just projections. It was a perk of being in the afterlife. And he was just fine with that._

_What struck Anakin as unusual was that though he and Padme died young, they both continued to age as the years progressed. The afterlife was supposed to be an eternal existence. It made no sense that they would age. Aging implied that at some point therewas an end to this bliss and then a new beginning was just beyond that stage. It didn't matter to him. He and Padme were here in the Netherlands of the force…together…and he was finally at peace. And just as he did every night since his first night, Anakin whispered a word of thanks._

_He lowered his head as a familiar and belovedpresence permeated his senses. A comforting arm snaked around his and soft, warm fingers slowly slid between his. Turning his head, he produced a time she touches him, he can't help but to smile. Padme has that affect on him, always did. Hecompletely turned to face her, taking in all her features that he's loved so._

_Like himself, she was much older than she was during the days of the clone wars. Her hair was in a neat and simple updo secured with modest black pins. Though all the years carried away the deep shade of brown and replaced it with gray, the scent of Nubian flowers remained, saturating his senses when she was near. She didn't carry the cares of politics or face didn't have worry lines or frown lines, but laugh lines. She laughed a lot during the decades spent together…and he made sure of that. Her eyes and her skin was that of an old woman, but she couldn't be more beautiful than he'd ever seen her before. Every day spent with her was indeed a blessing, a renewed gift of undying love and he cherished each and every one._

_Sensing her usual sorrow that followed the departure of their children, he raised the back of her hand to his lips and kissed it. Padme enjoyed the family gatherings and always looked forward to their arrival. However the departures always had the opposite effect. Anakin could only smile sympathetically._

_She sighed. "I hate it when they all leave."_

_"I know." He pressed his lips against her temple and held her hand as he walked her toward the end of the balustrade. "The house goes quiet and everything is peaceful once more…now I could actually hear myself think."_

_Nudging him with an elbow, she said with a wry expression, "Leave it to you to be the grumpy old man, with a heart of gold."_

_Anakin chuckled._

_"I know you miss them already."_

_"I do." He admitted, tossing an amused glance her way._

_Padme looked towards the sky. "It's a beautiful night."_

_"It sure is. It feels different for some reason."Following her gaze, he took a deep breath. "I can't shake this feeling like…I don't know…Like there is something we've forgotten to do."_

_A moment of silence passed between them and in that moment Anakin felt a shift in Padme's was a sense of dread deep within her that she wanted to postpone. He had noticed was something off about her since earlier that morning. He awakenedfrom bed to watch the sun climb the sky as he did every morning, and discovered she was already on the balcony sitting in her chair. It was the first time she had been up before him. There were tears in her eyes. When asked why, she replied that she was sad that the children were leaving. But Anakin knew better…that may have been part of it, but it wasn't all of it._

_Anakin slowed his pace to a stop as they reached the end of the balustrade, the same spot where they were married and where they shared their first kiss. Gazing out across the lake reflecting the light of the stars, he asked, "I may be an old man, Padme, but I still have some use of the force. Something deeply troubles you."_

_"You already know, Ani. You know I don't like it when they leave." Padme answered simply._

_"My love…" He started as he turned to face her,"After all these long years, I think I know when my wife is sad and when something is bothering her."_

_"Anakin Skywalker, don't tell me I've become predictable." True to form, Padme did her best to rebuff, "I just miss those days when they were always around."_

_His worn hands gently caressed her upper arms."Look me in the eyes and say that, Padme." He knewthat would get it out of her._

_Padme sighed deeply, "Ani, please…" she pleaded, turning her gaze to the lake. "Let's enjoy this night a little longer."_

_He knew her well enough to know that it would only be a matter of time. Anakin sighed and waitedexpectantly for her to explain._

_As she spoke, her voice sounded calm and ominous."Almost sixty years ago, we were married on this very spot. Do you still remember?"_

_Anakin answered just above a whisper. "How could I forget, my love?"_

_"You were so nervous."_

_"I had a beautiful, strong and intelligent woman wanting to be my wife. All I wanted was to be a good husband to her."_

_"And you've always been…every step of the way. How I wish we could do it all over again." Padme's gaze focused on her husband. "I wouldn't change a thing."_

_Anakin furled his brow in thought, heavily considering his words before he spoke. "There was a time that I would have disagreed with you, my love. I would've said that I would change the day you died, make things different so that it would have never happened. Looking back…I realize you're right. I wouldn't change a thing either." Anakin paused, surprised by his own admission. "I understand that you had to die so that I could stop him. It was meant to happen regardless of what I felt or did. When I was a boy starting out with the Jedi, Qui-gon told me that my focus determines my reality. I focused on my fear of losing you, and then I lost you. I focused on your death, and began to slowly destroy myself. I was my own worst enemy and I didn't even know it. I was holding myself back." He takes a deep breath. "Your death made me a stronger man. You and the children were all I ever needed in life, Padme."_

_Locking onto his gaze, Padme raised her hand and caressed his cheek. A sad nostalgic smile spread across her face before lowering her hand. The silencebetween them was great and heavy._

_"Have you ever woken up feeling worn?" There was an eerie and wary tone to her voice._

_"Worn?"_

_"Not physically…"_

_Anakin looked to her suddenly concerned with her line of thought. "No, I haven't."_

_"I suppose you wouldn't." She looked away, her voice growing more despondent. "But I have. I have been feeling this way for a while now."_

_"What do you think is going on?"_

_She didn't answer, opting to bit her lower lip instead._

_Sensing she knew the answer, Anakin knew that whatever it was, it's what's been bothering her all day. "Please tell me what's happening, Padme. I want to help you." He placed a finger under her trembling chin and turns her head toward him._

_"I don't want to say it." She said as the tears fell. "I can't…"_

_Anakin wrapped his arms around her and said in a soft soothing tone, "Yes, you can."_

_"Oh Anakin..." Padme pulled on his tunic as she composed herself. "You're right and it has to be done."_

_She pulled away from his embrace to look into his eyes, eyes that she loved drowning in every time he looked at her. "There is something we have to do together. I know I shouldn't have spent today being sad about it, but I couldn't help it. I woke up this morning feeling…sensing the end."_

_"The end?" His eyebrows furled._

_"You wouldn't sense this because…well…you and I are here under different circumstances. I have been feeling worn…stretched thin…Like I've been here too long. I just wanted this to last as long as possible…and I know good things do not last forever." She paused, taking in a breath, "It's time for us to let go, Anakin."_

_Anakin straightened. "What do you mean?"_

_"It's time for me to move on and for you to return."_

_He blinked. "Move on to what? Return to where?"_

_"Do you know where we are?"_

_"The Netherworld of the force…the afterlife."_

_She slowly shook her head, "This is not the afterlife. That is the world beyond this one."_

_"Then where are we?"_

_"This is the medium between the living and the dead. And we have been here together for what feels like 53 years."_

_"I don't understand. We are happy here. Why can't we stay?"_

_"We're here on borrowed time and borrowed space, Ani. We cannot stay here forever. We weren't meant to."_

_"Then I choose to go with you."_

_"You can't. You're not dead." She lowered her gaze."I am."_

_"Not dead?" Anakin turned his shoulder toward her, struggling to make sense of it. "That's can that be?"_

_"Ani, when you sacrificed yourself to destroy the Sithand save our kids you survived, but just barely. You fell into a deep coma that day."_

_"I'm…" he swallows hard. "still alive."_

_Padme nods her head._

_Anakin took several steps away as he considered thenews. "I sensed there was something different about today. I didn't realize it was because it was our last day together." He shakes his head and looks at her, "But it doesn't make sense Padme. I'll return, and still be an 83 year old man. I'll be back with you soon enough." He chuckled lightly._

_"No, Ani." She shakes her head slowly. "You are still a young man. You've been in a coma for a year now. In that state, time does not pass as it normally would. It moves extremely slow." She turned toward the view of the lake. "Luke and Leia are not fully grown adults with grandchildren of their own. They are little children…6 year olds who desperately need their father."_

_Anakin could not find the words to respond. Though strange, every word she spoke rang with truth and made sense of the oddities noticed in the plane they existed in. Part of him wanted to rail against the idea of being parted again. Part of him wanted to be angry and indignant. But the better part of Anakin held sway. He accepted her words and the truth it spelled._

_"This is just as hard for me as it is for you. But this is something that must be done and before we are separated I wanted us to have a chance to say goodbye."_

_A chance to goodbye_

_Those words struck deeply in the core of Anakin's heart. It was something they were robbed of when she died in the collision. Their last words in life were in hurt and in anger, a deflection of what they truly felt for each other…an indication of what stood between._

_"Goodbye?" He turned and took several steps away. "Why didn't you tell me this before?"_

_She moved towards him. "It's been so many years. Would you want to spend every day of those years wondering if the next day was the last?"_

_Anakin doesn't respond, understanding her point._

_"I didn't know today would be the last day until I woke up this morning." She swallowed and continued, "I want you to move on, my love. Find happiness. Fall in love again. Live your life."_

_"That's not possible, Padme." He turned to face her, placing both hands gently on her arms. "You are my wife, my heart…my soul mate. I can't be with anyone else."_

_"I just want you to be happy. We have been blessed with an opportunity unlike any other. We have been allowed to be together again. To grow old and fall in love with each other over and over again, to watch our children grow and become parents. We were allowed to even see our great grandchildren. They may have been projections but they are much more than that. They are glimpses into the future, Anakin. This is something I have been allowed to witnesseven though I'm not a part of that world anymore. We've been allowed to share a lifetime together and we have lived out our lives together, Ani. We've had every day of nearly 60 wonderful years to cherish for all time…" She paused unable to keep her eyes from flooding with tears. "But it has come to an end. And now… "_

_"It's time I let you go." Anakin finished her sentence, finally realizing the significance of the moment. Letting go of Padme was something he never thought he could ever do. He never wanted to do this, never thought he had the strength to do it and never saw reason for it. But at that moment, he finally understood._

_Padme nodded._

_It took several moments for before he spoke again. Absently, he rubbed his chest over his heart as if it were sore. "I never expected to have to go through this again." He looked toward her and said, "The first time I lost you almost destroyed me, because I wasn't ready to let you go. And even after all these years with you, I- I just don't know if I can willingly walk away from you. I don't think I have the strength do it."_

_A knowing smile made its way across her face. "Yes, you do."_

_Anakin didn't think it would be there, but searching in the depth of his soul and in the deep places of his heart, he found the strength to do what had to be done was there and always had been. Whether he wanted to or not, Padme had to move on. It was what was best for her. He needed to return to the children. They needed him. And after 53 years or one year growing old with Padme, he realized all good things come to end, so that new things, good things could begin._

_Anakin smiled despite the tears welling his eyes."You've given me a beautiful home and wonderful children. Thank you for inspiring me to be better at every turn." His voice shakes as he continues, "I'm grateful for everyday I woke up with you in my arms."_

_"Oh, Anakin." Struggling to control her emotions, Padme embraces her husband, bathing in a love that she prayed she could take with her._

_Anakin buried his face in her hair, taking in the scent of flowers. Instantly the memories of their blossoming love flashed across his mind. He pulledaway just enough to see her angelic face. "Will I see you again?"_

_"I don't know." She frowned. "But many years will have passed by then."_

_As a boy he walked away from his mother only after knowing he'd see her again. And now he had to do it again, leaving his beloved wife, knowing he' might never be with her again._

_The muffled sound of a child's voice was heard off in the distance, as if sailing in on a breeze. They both searched the sky above, listening to the familiar voice._

_Padme looked to Anakin with a gaze filled with excitement, anxiety, immense joy and heartbreak._

_"Anakin, please tell Luke and Leia that I love themwith all my heart and that I miss them so much."_

_His gaze intensified, stroking her cheek with a finger,"You know I will…as often as I can, I promise."_

_Unable and unwilling to withstand the flood of emotion raining over him, he leaned down and closed his lips over hers. It was a passionate kiss imbuedwith all the love, hope and joy they could muster in those moments. It was a kiss that was meant to last a lifetime. The kiss ended and yet they did not part. They stood for long moments, just a hair breath apart,basking in the indissoluble bond they shared._

_Slowly they pulled away from each other and realized they were suddenly restored to their proper age and appearance._

_"I love you always, Ani."_

_He looked at her for a long while committing her to memory. He kisses her on the back of her hand andsaid, "and I will always love you, Padme."_

_Something in Anakin tingled as if it were signaling his time had come. In his mind he could hear his mother echo her plea…_

_Now go and don't look back. Don't look back._

_And so, Anakin turned and walked away, reluctantly releasing Padme's hand and leaving her alone on the balustrade. With every step he took away from her, his determination grew and surprisingly his heart was not so heavy. He continued on, carrying his love for her with him and never once looking back._

* * *

Anakin found himself lying prone on a soft comfortable bed, hearing the beeps and clicks of machines around him. He was in a Medical facility. The child's voice that he heard earlier belonged to Luke, and going by what Anakin could tell, he was reading his favorite bedtime story. Sensing familiar presences in the room, he slowly opened his eyes and saw his son and daughter lying in bed on either side of him. They were taking turns reading to him. Far off in the corner of the room his old master, Obi-wan seated with his legs crossed.

Obi-wan slowly rose to his feet. His gaze astounded and welcoming as he approached. The children stopped reading as a Obi-wan approached the foot of the bed, and raised their heads to see their father.

"Daddy." Leia called breaking into tears.

"You're awake!" Luke was immediately agape.

Obi-wan smiled and folded his arms, "Welcome back, old friend."

Returning the smile and finally at peace with himself, Anakin raised his arms and surrounded his children in a much overdue embrace. He kissed each child and whispered quiet words in their ears, making them embrace him even closer. Never more than in that moment, did Anakin feel truly blessed by the force and grateful for everything that happened.

~~The end~~


End file.
